John Dundas

“ Dundas married, first, in 1712, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Robert Watson of Muirhouse, who, with four of his children, died in January 1734 of small-pox, and by her he had a son, Robert, afterwards lord president [see Dundas, Robert, of Arniston, the younger] , and other children; and, secondly, on 3 June 1734, Anne, daughter of Sir William Gordon, bart., of Invergordon, by whom he had five sons and a daughter. One of these sons, Henry, treasurer of the navy and first viscount Melville, is separately noticed. ”

“ On the 25th instant I anchored with the squardron as per margin (America, Edinburgh, Furieuse, Swallow, Cephalus, and Aurora, the latter a Sicilian Corvette,) off Lerici, the Hon. Captain Dundas having preceded us with the Edinburgh and Swallow, to accompany the movements of the troops under Major-General Montressor, dismantling the batteries as the enemy retired on their advance; a party of them endeavoured to re-occupy the castle of Lerici, but Captain Dundas, with the marines, was beforehand with them, and the enemy, after some firing from the boats of the squadron, retreated from the town. ”

“ On the 17th March, 1800, a most melancholy accident happened to the Queen Charlotte of 100 guns, in which ship Mr. Dundas was then serving as a Lieutenant. Proceeding from Leghorn to reconnoitre the island of Cabrera, and when about three or four leagues distant from the former place, she was discovered to be on fire. Every possible assistance was immediately forwarded from the shore; but a number of boats, it seems, were deterred from approaching her, in consequence of the guns going off when heated, and discharging their contents in all directions. ”

“ Near the house, or rather cottage, ran a clear stream, which bounded some meadows, also belonging to Gaspard.
Full of hope and thankfulness, the good soldier and his family took possession of their new home. With the little money Gaspard had saved, a cow was bought; the horse was likely to be too useful to be parted with.
Michael and John were old enough to help their father in cultivating the land and garden, whilst Katherine undertook the care of the poultry-yard, an occupation in which the little Francis was her constant companion. ”

“ Captain Dundas subsequently commanded the Africa of 64 guns, and the Vengeur 74. He commissioned the Bulwark of 76 guns, on the 28th March 1822, and is now stationed at Plymouth.
Our officer is said to be the inventor of an inflammable ball, “applicable for besieging a town, and peculiar for its small weight, by which means it may be thrown to a great distance; and it takes fire on a very curious plan: it spreads a flame in three distinct openings, which is so strong, that the fire extends a full yard in length from the ball itself ”

“ The Middle-Aged 189Men.—Taking this class to include all who, while old enough to have obtained some standing in life, were still not past their maturity, we may enumerate in it such leading lawyers as Robert Dundas of Arniston (nephew of the great Dundas, and promoted to the office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1801, after having been Lord Advocate for twelve years) , and Robert Blair, Charles Hope, Adam Gillies, John Clerk of Eldin, David Cathcart, and David Boyle, all of whom subsequently rose to the Bench ”

“ Mcmillan the Writer.
[184] Thomas Hay of Huntington, East Lothian, advocate; Keeper of the Signet, 1742-46; raised to the Bench as Lord Huntington 1754. His brother, John Hay of Restalrig, W.S., succeeded John Murray as Secretary to Prince Charles on Murray’s falling ill at Inverness, in 1746.
[185] Robert Dundas of Arniston, first President Dundas; born 1685; was Lord Advocate, 1720-25; raised to the Bench as Lord Arniston 1737; became Lord President on the death of Duncan Forbes of Culloden 1748; died 1753. He was the father of Henry (Dundas) , 1st Lord Melville. ”

“ On 13 Oct. 1807 he was posted, and continued actively employed in the Baltic or the North Sea to the peace. On 2 April 1808 he married his first cousin, Janet, only daughter and heiress of Charles Dundas, lord Amesbury [q. v.] , and at the same time took the surname of Dundas. From 1815 to 1819 he commanded the Tagus frigate in the Mediterranean. From 1830 to 1832 he was flag-captain to Sir William Parker on board the Prince Regent of 120 guns, on the coast of Portugal, and from 1836 to 1838 commanded the Britannia at Portsmouth as flag captain to Sir Philip Durham. ”

“ VILITISSIMUS SCOTUS DUNDAS, &c.
“Georgius Dundas, Græce Latineque doctissimus habitus, Equitum Hierosolymitanorum intra Regnum Scotiæ præfectus, sed prius Aberdoniæ Professor. Scripsit diligenter, et laboriose. Historiam Equitum Hierosolymitanorum, lib. ii. Claruit anno MDXX.” Dempsteri Hist. Eccles. Gentis Scotorum, &c. 1627, p. 234. This George Dundas was, I apprehend, the person who excited the wrath of Skelton. ”

“ As the intimate friend and trusted lieutenant of Pitt, Dundas fills an important place in the political history of the age in which he lived. Without any gift of eloquence, and in spite of his broad Scotch accent and ungraceful manner, he was a steady debater and a lucid and argumentative speaker. Deficient alike in refinement and in literary taste, he was possessed of great political sagacity and of indefatigable industry. In his private life he was frank and straightforward in character, convivial in his habits, and utterly indifferent about money. ”

“ His mother was his father's second wife, Janet, daughter of Charles Maitland, sixth earl of Lauderdale. He was called to the bar, but devoted himself to a political life. He first sat for the borough of Richmond in 1774, then for Orkney and Shetland (1781-4) , again for Richmond, and finally for Berkshire, which he represented in ten successive parliaments (1794-1832) . He was finally the second eldest member in the house. Dundas was a liberal in politics. ”

“ The good Baron may yet be alive; but if not, we will do our best. Yes," she added, clasping the little one in her arms, "you shall be in the place of my little Francis."
"Dear wife!" exclaimed Gaspard, interrupting her, "I ought not to have doubted you; but I felt half-afraid I had added to your cares and troubles by bringing this poor little one to you."
"No, no," cried Katherine, "we must never repent of doing a good action;—our adopted child may yet bring us a blessing." ”

“ Dundas then attempted to prevail on Pitt to accept the office of prime minister, but after a long ministerial interregnum the coalition government came into power in April 1783, and Dundas was succeeded as treasurer of the navy by Charles Townshend. The office of lord advocate Dundas continued to hold for some time longer, but in spite of his boast that ‘no man in Scotland will venture to take my place,’ he was at length displaced by Fox in August 1783 in favour of Henry Erskine. ”

“ He was appointed quartermaster-general in Ireland in 1778, promoted colonel in 1781, and made lieutenant-colonel of the 2nd Irish horse in 1782, when he again had leisure to study the military systems of the continent. He attended the Prussian autumn manœuvres in Pomerania, Silesia, and Magdeburg in 1785, 1786, and 1787, and in 1788 he brought out the results of his long study in his great work, 'The Principles of Military Movements, chiefly applicable to Infantry.' The publication of this book made his reputation, and for the next ten years Dundas was constantly employed. ”

“ Katherine placed her hand fondly on the bright curls, though her tears still fell fast.
It was not long before Gaspard and his two boys returned; they had luckily obtained shelter during the storm.
On learning the cause of his wife's distress, the poor man, though equally fearing the consequences which might result from what had occurred, at once re-assured her by saying,—
"Dear wife, whatever may happen, you have done right; we must keep that cap. It alone can ever lead to any discovery of the parents of our little Francis. We should do wrong to part with it." ”

“ No one knew what had become of her, and no one knew where to look for her; for the sole information gathered by the scared neighbors was, that Leam Dundas was missing and no one had seen her go.
She was thought by some to have simply run away after the manner of undisciplined youth aiming at mock heroism; but where, or with whom? for, said the keen-eyed women and large-mouthed men, incredulous of maiden meditation fancy free, a pretty young thing of nineteen would never have left her comfortable home, her father, friends and good name, without some lover stirring in the matter. ”

“ Launce Blake knows her a great deal better, or thinks he does. In his own way he is almost as handsome as she is; a tall fair man, with eyes so dark a gray that they look black under their thick lashes and a smile as sweet as a woman's. But, as he sits in Mrs. Dundas's pretty room to-night, he is not smiling—he has come here from Colonel Frenche's, as his father guessed he would—he is looking very stern indeed, and "altogether unmanageable," as Kate Dundas says to herself. ”

“ Dundass and confessed his crime, the heart of the old man was moved to pity. He generously advanced the necessary funds, and wrenched the Cascade from the clutches of Perozzi. Touched by such unmerited goodness and generosity, Mr. Donaldson resolved to become a better man, and to repair by his future conduct the errors of the past.
At Mount Dundass, whither the whole family accompanied its venerable proprietor, Rupert received the hand of the happy Mildred, and after the death of Mr. Dundass, which took place only a few months later, took his beautiful young bride to England. ”

“ Katherine seemed unable to reply, but leant against her husband, who had seated himself by her, as if to support her; whilst poor little Francis put his cold hands round her neck, and kissed away the tears which now fell fast, saying as he did so, "Do not cry, dear, good mother; we shall soon get home. God will lead us there."
"Yes, yes, dear child," exclaimed Gaspard, raising his eyes to heaven, "you are right. It is six years this very day since I saved you from death. To-morrow is your poor mother's birthday. Oh let us still hope that God will be merciful to us now, as He was then." ”

“ Winter had now set in, snow was already whitening the ground, and he knew not where or how to provide a shelter for them. He returned with a heavy heart to Katherine. The poor woman bore the intelligence better than he expected; she had dreaded being separated from her husband, and, but for her children, would never have consented to being so. There seemed now no alternative; and in reply to her husband's inquiry as to what was to be done, she said, firmly and resolutely—"Dear Gaspard, I will go with you; we will not be separated; we have shared every danger, we will share this one." ”

“ Fair and lovely as she had always been to the eyes of Sebastian Dundas, never had she looked so grand as now. Her yellow hair was lying spread out on the pillow like a glory: one white arm was flung above her head, the other hung down from the bed. Her pale face, with her mouth half open as if in a smile at the happy things she dreamt, peaceful and pure as a saint's, seemed to him the very embodiment of all womanly truth and sweetness. He leaned over her with a yearning rapture that was almost ecstasy. This noble, loving woman was his own, his life, his future. ”

“ Little now remained to be told or learnt, save that the "little cap," which had so providentially led to the recovery of the lost child, had been sent by the wife of the steward of Feldsberg to her sister at Sternfelden, as a gift to her firstborn. That which the unfeeling woman had so eagerly coveted, and which she had obtained by such unjustifiable means, may possibly have become a source of trouble instead of gratification to her. She could, it may be supposed, scarcely look at the little cap, so prized by those from whom she had torn it, without some feelings of self-reproach ”

“ It was near Metz that you were taken from us. You wore this little cap the day we lost you. Oh! you will try and love us, now you are restored to us."
Then, taking the astonished child by the hand, the Countess approached the altar, and, kneeling on the steps, appeared to be engaged in silent prayer. Gaspard and his wife followed her example at a little distance; their hearts were also overflowing with thankfulness.
On rising from this act of devotion, the Countess turned to the good soldier, saying, as she did so—
"May heaven reward you, and your good wife! I cannot ”

“ Harrowby ever allowed it, and why, if Mr. Dundas must marry again (but they thought he might be quiet now) , he had not taken a stranger, instead of one who had been mixed up as it were with his other wives—but seeing that her day was passed, the majority, as has been said, held that she was in the right to take what she could get, and to marry even as a third wife was better than not to marry at all. And then the neighborhood knew Sebastian Dundas, and knew that although he had been foolish and unfortunate in his former affairs, there was no harm in him. ”

“ Katherine quickly left what she was doing to help her husband, and whilst so engaged, she asked him by what name they should call their adopted child.
"Shall we call it 'Francis,' after our little one," said he, "and try to look upon it as indeed our own?"
The good woman, with tears in her eyes, readily assented; and taking the infant in her arms, she tenderly kissed it, saying as she did so,—"Poor little one! I will love you for my little Francis' sake."
Gaspard was soon ready, and hastened away to his post, desiring his two boys to help their mother in his absence. ”