Series 2 > Household book of Lady Grisell Baillie

INTRODUCTION
Ixxix
|| many of us were met, being no fewer than fourteen of his
H children and grandchildren, we had a dance. He was
p then very weak in his limbs and could not walk down-
I stairs, but desired to be carried down to the room where
we were to see us; which he did, with great cheerfulness,
I saying, “ Though he could not dance with us, he could yet
I beat time with his foot,” which he did, and bid us dance
| as long as we could ; that it was the best medicine he
!; knew, for at the same time that it gave exercise to the
(' body, it cheered the mind. At his usual time of going to
bed he was carried upstairs and we ceased dancing for
! fear of disturbing him; but he soon sent to bid us go on,
! for the noise and music, so far from disturbing, that it
would lull him to sleep. He had no notion of interrupting
j: the innocent pleasures of others, though his age hindered
; him to partake of it. His exemplary piety and goodness
‘ was no bar to his mirth ; and he often used to say none
had so good a reason to be merry and pleased as those
that loved God and obeyed his commandments.’1
Both of these men were prominent Presbyterians, who
had suffered for the cause, and whose principles were
beyond suspicion. They were powerful socially, they were
powerful politically, and their example, and the example
of others like them, might have done at least a little to
| counteract the bigotry and despotism of the Presbyterian
1 ministers, whose influence for so many years cast a shadow
over Scotland.
j The Editor begs to acknowledge his indebtedness to
some notes left by the late Mr. Fitzroy Bell, into whose
: experienced hands the editing of Lady GriselPs papers
| had been entrusted, but whose untimely death prevented
him from making more than a beginning of what would
Lady Murray’s Memoirs, pp. 77, 78.