district, descended two brothers, Ralph and Robert, who had large possessions in the county of Roxburgh, who, about the time of David II.* king of Scotland, constituted the two branches of Cessford and Ferniherst.

Robert having obtained from the monarch the lands of Oultoborn, lying near the river of Beaumont, became ancestor to the Dukes of Roxburgh.† From the other branch, or that of Ferniherst, descended Mark Kerr, created Earl of Lothian, by James 1. in 1609, and his grand-daughter and heir having married Sir William Kerr, son and heir of Robert Earl of Ancram, his son Robert, in 1701, was created Marquis of Lothian, by William III.‡

The most noble John William Kerr, Marquis and Earl of Lothian, &c. &c. &c. was born in 1737; his father was the Earl of Ancram, and his mother Lady Louisa D'Arcy, only daughter of the Earl of Holdernesse.

Uniting high rank with a small fortune, this young nobleman, at an early period of life, made choice of the military profession. He accordingly obtained a pair of colours in the army; and as he possessed a good person, joined to a handsome face,

*Circ. A. D. 1340.

†The estates of this noble family are at present in litigation, an appeal having been made from the decisions of the court of session in behalf of Sir James Innes Kerr, first grandson of Lady Margaret.

Edmondson's Peerage, p. 189-90-91.

and had improved his manners by foreign travel, Lord Newbottle was considered one of the most fascinating young men of that day.

After acquiring the rank of captain of infantry, the successful wars, supposed in part to be occasioned by the rapid movements of Frederick the Great, produced a great change in the English service, and, indeed, in that of all Europe. Colonel Elliot, afterwards better known by the name of Lord Heathfield, the gallant governor of Gibraltar, accordingly, in 1759, determined on effecting an innovation, and for this purpose obtained a letter of service to levy a regiment of light dragoons, called at that period the First, and since, his Majesty's, or the Fifteenth.

Lord Newbottle, who by this time had obtained a company of foot, as has been already observed, was preferred about the same period to a troop in the newly-raised corps, and, if we mistake not greatly, the present Governor of Chelsea Hospital (General Sir David Dundas, K. B.), who has since distinguished himself in a variety of ways, particularly by his "Principles of Military Movements, chiefly applicable to Infantry," was another of the Captains. With this celebrated regiment, we believe, both of these officers went to Germany, and served under Prince Ferdinand; they also assisted in some of the expeditions to the coast of France, which, with all due deference to the great abilities of the Earl of Chatham, proved of but little service. In 1761 he was promoted a lieutenant-co

lonel in the 12th regiment of light dragoons, and in 1762, when he had attained the age of twenty: five, this young nobleman married Miss Fortescue, niece to the Earl of Mornington, whose descendant has lately become Marquis of Wellesley, and by this lady he had no less than eight children, of whom three were sons, and five daughters.

*

In 1767, in consequence of the demise of his grandfather, Lord Newbottle became Earl of Ancram, and on the 28th of April, 1775, by his father's death, he obtained the title of Marquis of Lothian. About this time the family sustained a great loss, in consequence of the destruction of Newbottle Abbey by fire, a venerable and ancient pile of building, which recalled the memory of past ages, the pristine magnificence of monastic institutions, and the former grandeur in which the house. of Lothian was accustomed to live, in Scotland.

In 1777, while a major-general, the Marquis was appointed to the command of the first regiment of horse-guards; in 1782 he was promoted a lieutenant-general, and in 1796, a general. In 1778 he was nominated one of the sixteen Peers of Scotland; at the general election in 1780, his

* That nobleman, also an officer, was returned a burgess for the borough of Richmond, to the 11th and 12th parliaments of Great Britain (1754 and 1762). The marquis, as well as his son, obtained the green ribband.

lordship was left out, but was returned again in 1784.

During this Parliament, the unfortunate illness of his Majesty occasioned long and violent discussions in both Houses; but unluckily for Lord Lothian, he dared to think for himself, and voted against the ministry on all the divisions relative to the regency bill. The consequences were equally nuexpected and disagreeable; for his lordship was dismissed from his command of the first regiment of horse-guards, which certainly, in the confined state of his fortune, was a severe, and, in the opinion of many, an unmerited punishment. Since that period, the Marquis's name has also been omitted in the list of the sixteen Peers. He has obtained, however, the colonelcy of the eleventh light dragoons.*

This noble lord lost his lady in 1787, at which time he had no less than five unmarried daughters; and on these his Majesty is said to have graciously settled a pension.

Since that epoch, his lordship has resided almost entirely in the country. Of late years, he has chosen the town of Farnham for the place of his abode, and he dwells there in great privacy, and devoid of any pomp.

Although it may be now said, that "Othello's occupation's gone," yet, such is the force of habit, that we understand this nobleman is daily dressed,

He received the command of this regiment Oct. 23, 1798.

powdered, and equipped, as if for the parade, although threescore and one years have passed over his head. May many summer suns still enliven his existence, and may the rigours of winter be softened, so as to prolong the life of this noble ve→ teran, who is now tenth on the list of Generals in the British service.

THE COCHRANES.

1. THE EARL OF DUNDONALD.
"Virtute et labore !"

THE head of the family of which we are now about to treat, has constantly displayed a love of scientific pursuits, and, like many other celebrated men, has contributed to the improvement of his country, and the advancement of useful knowledge, without enriching himself. Indeed, it may be fairly added, that few individuals of the present day, have effeeted more for the community, or profited less in respect to themselves: the fact is, that he has hurt his own private fortune by speculations which have proved eminently advantageous to others, and resigned that time, and those talents, to the public, which would have proved highly beneficial, in a pecuniary point of view, if they had been originally confined to the management and improvement of his own estate.