Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

CCCXXXvi AXNAKDALE MAKSIOKS.
any of these social meetings was always matter of regret. According to Carlyle,
James jMaepherson during bis residence at ]\IoQat House was very reserved and proud.
He shunned dining at tlic ordinary with Home and Carlyle on some pretence.
David Hume, the historian, occasionally accompanied these eminent men of letters
to Moffat Spa. lie, for his part, was sceptical of the authenticity of Ossian. They
tried to explain this away by saying that Hume was sceptical about everything. Mr.
Hume acted as a paid companion to George, third Marquis of Annandale, in 1745,
which gave him an interest in the Sloffat district. The following receipt for his
remuneration is still preserved :—
" Edinburgh, February 8, 174 5.
"Eeceiv'd from Eonald Crawford, Writer to the Signet, by Direction from the
IMarqness of Annauchde, one hundred Pounds Sterling. AVitness my liand this eighth
of Februarv one thousand seven hundred and forly-fivc.
4. EAEHJLLS IIOUSE.i
Q) "^ ^^ y
TuE lands of riachills, which were originally comprehended in the parisl; of Garvald,
and are now included in the parish of Johnstone, form a part of a twenty pound land
of old extent, in which were also the lauds of Jlollins, Crunzeanton, Monygaris,
Brydanholme, and \Voligills.
The connection of the Johnstone family with the lands of Eaehills commences so
early as the reign of King David the Bruce, from whom a member of the Johnstone
fiimily, whose history has not been traced, obtained a charter of the lauds of
Cronanton, Jlolyn, I^Ionykippcr, and Rahill, in the barony of Kirkmichael.- But the
lands . did not long remain with the grantee. In the beginning of the following
century they formed part of the Annandale estates of Sir Ja-nes Douglas, lord of
Dalkeith, who resigned them in Aivour of David Lindsay, first Earl of Crawford.
CrawforU conveyed Raehills as part of the barony of Kirkmichael to A\'illiam, lord of
Crichton, knight. Tlie grant was confirmed by King James the Second.^ About
that time William Crichton was lord chancellor, and the family of Livingston also
held an influential position. Edward Livingston of Bowcastle acquired right to
' Eaeliills occurs with a variety of sptllings— Ilaaliill, Eahill, K.-ihillis, Ratliill, Raehills
or Racgills, and Ridhill.
- Rubcrtsfin's liuU-:^ of Missing Ch.arters, p. 47.
3 2a March M39-40, Register of the Great Seal, vol. ii. No. 220.