Allan Ramsay. [A biography.] - National Library of Scotland

ALLAN RAMSAY 49
suggestive of Steele and the Tatler. Eventually, how-
ever, he altered his no7n-de-guerre to Gawain Douglas, one
more in accordance with his patriotic sentiments.
The membership was limited to twelve^ but at the time
when Ramsay made his application we only know the
names of five of those who belonged to it. Hepburn of
Keith, in East Lothian, an antiquarian of no mean
standing ; Professor Pitcairn, late of Leyden, but at that
time in the enjoyment of one of the largest practices as
a physician in the Edinburgh of the period ; Dr. Patrick
Abercrombie, the eminent historian and antiquarian,
author of The Martial Achievements of the Scottish Nation ;
Dr. Thomas Ruddiman, philologist, grammarian, printer,
and librarian of the Advocates' Library,—one of the
few Scottish polymaths over and above the Admirable
Crichton and George Buchanan,—and James Ross the
lawyer. Tradition has stated that Hamilton of Gilbert-
field was also one of the 'Easy fellows,' as they dubbed
themselves, but no confirmation of this fact could be
discovered.
We reach now the commencement of Ramsay's literary
career. For four years—in fact, until the breaking up of
the Society after the Rebellion of 17 15—all he wrote
was issued with the imprimatur of the Easy Club upon
it. That they were proud of him is evident from the
statement made by Dr. Ruddiman in a letter to a
friend :
' Our Easy Club has been increased by the
admission of a young man, Ramsay by name, sib to the
Ramsays of Dalhousie, and married to a daughter of
Ross the writer. He will be heard tell o' yet, I'm
thinking, or I am much out of my reckoning.'
The next pieces which our poet read to his patrons
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