Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

VISITOItS AT MOKFAT WF.T.LS. XXXi
SiUialcd witliiu the regality just njciitioiieJ is Moft\it Spa, described in
the Memoir of .lames. Ear! of Aniiaudalc and llavtfell. Tlie mediciual well
at the s])a has maintained its celebrity since its discovery, vaiionily said to
he in lGr>3 and 1C53. Attracting visitors to its waters for so long a period,
it has become the scene of many interesting associations. An order was
issued, signed by General Monck and other lliree of CromwcH's council in
Scotland, for a graiit of £25 sterling from the vacant stipends of the parishes
of IVfoflat and lvirl;patrick-juxta to improve the well a]id enclose it with
!i \\-\]]} Tlie liealing virtues of the well at the time arc shown in the case
of Lady ]\Iary Scott, the youthfid Countess of Bucchjuch. She visited the
well in search of health under the advice of no less than ten physicians and
surgeons, met in consultation about her case. ^
Several of the annual visitors to the spa about a century later arc also
jiamcd in this volume.^ One C'f tliese, Thomas Graham of IJalgov.an, aftcr-
v.'ards Lord Lj'iiedoch, was a JolmsLone by descent on Ins juother's side,
being the grandson of Lady Henrietta Johnstone, countess of the first Earl
of llopetoun.* James Macpherson, of Ossian fame, v.hile acting as tutor to
CJvaham at Jlofrat House, commenced his translations there Vsliich brought
lum celebrity. John Hoioe, the author of " Douglas," and L>avid Hume were
also visitors at the spa.
About four mileG from Mofhit, on the old Edinburgh road, in the parish
' P. c-cxxii of this votinne. docli in 17S5. After the dc-.Ttli of lii.s wife
'^
P. ccxxi i'jiW
= ly cco.cxxv, cccxxxvi, ihid.
'^'^ eiitcrecl the iniilt.iiy i>rofc.'!siou. lie
raised the POth Eegimeiit, aud took a leading
j,.,^t in „,^^t j,f ^^^^ Peninsular War. He
'' Thom.'is Graham succeeded to llie estate uefeuted tLe I'rencli at Earossa in ISl 1. He
(if Ij.ilgowau on the death of his fatlier in was the nearer of the insignia cf the Order
17C7. James, third Karl of Hopttouu, and of the Garter to Wtlliiij;ton in 1S13. He
his consiu Thomas Graham were extremely was made a i)eer under tlie title of Lord
like each other iu j^ersocal ai'pearance. Lyuedocli, n-ith a pension of .£2000, at the
Graham married the iloi;. Mary Cathcart, close of the var in 1S14. lie died iu Dewhose
portrait by Gaiusboiough is so much ccmber 1SJ3, ivithout issue, when his peer-
ailmired. He aciiuired the estate of Lync- ajrc became extinct.