SCOTLAND.
Forfarshire having resolved to entertain its distinguished son who now holds the office of Secretary of State for War, mustered in the Market Hall of Arbroath, on Tuesday, a great company, the elite, at least the Liberal elite, of the county, in all 800 men. Sir John Ogilvy occupied the chair, flanked on his right and left by Lord Panmure and the Marquis of Breadalbane. There were also present, the Earl of Kintore, the Earl of Southeak, Lord Melville, Lord Kinnaird, Lord Duncan, the Lord Advocate, Sir Houston Stewart, Mr. Duncan M.P., Mr. James Duff M.P., and Mr. Baxter M.P., the Provosts of Brechin, Forfar, Arbroath, Dundee, and Montrose, Sheriff Logan, and Mr. David Baxter of Kilinaron. The galleries were filled with ladies. The banquet was intended to be a public testimony to Lord Panmure as Lord-Lieutenant of the County, and an acknowledgement of his "distinguished services" as a Minister of the Crown. The dinner began at four o'clock, and the company did not separate till ten : the six intervening hours were spent mainly in the interchange of friendly sentiments and hearty compliments, in which all interests had a share. It fell to the Chairman to pronounce Lord Panmure's eulogy, for his conduct in taking office at a critical moment, and discharging its duties "in a manner that called forth general admiration." Lord Panmure, in his reply, delivered a speech of moderate length, pretty equally divided on three topics,—the prosperous condition and brilliant prospects of Forfarshire ; his own administration during the war, 'including an emphatic expression of "the approbation of the Government" of the Crimean report of Sir John M'Neill and Colonel Tulloch ; and "the future." In the portion of the speech which referred to his war administration, he thus spoke of the change effected in the War Department " The officer at the head of the Army now commands all arms of service. They look to him as their military head, as the fountain of military honour, as the source of military promotion. In doing so, we have separated between the civil and the military portion of the administration of the Army ; and I have taken under the control of the Secretary of State all the civil branch of the administration of the Army, which consists in the provision of military material, and all the means of carrying on any war, however great or extensive it may be. I confess that, owing to the divided administration, delays had occurred which rendered the efficiency of the service almost importable. And from the moment that one single eye on the part of the military commander was spread over the whole Army, and one single eye was spread over its civil administration, we were enabled no sooner to determine than to strike, and everything went on with far greater ease than when I first assumed the reins of office. Now, gentlemen, I think the present Government has only done in this what any other Government would have done if occupying their place. They have had the opportunity, and therefore they have gained the credit ; and I say that it is a credit to any Government to have simplified and modified the military administration of this country so that—I shall answer for it—should due necessity call for it, we could embark any number of soldiers this country may be called upon to provide complete in all their equipments ten days after the order had been given." (Loud cheers.) Speaking of the return of the Army, so ably effected by the Navy, he said—" It was my good fortune to see the first formation of that array at Aldershott, when reviewed by her Majesty—it was my good fortune to see the officers of that army called together into a square ; and never till the latest day I live shall I forget the speech then made by the Queen to those officers, nor the tears which trickled over the manly beards of some of those officers when they heard those words fall from her Majesty." With regard to the future he uttered words of warning. "Peace has now returned ; but although peace has returned, she is like a bird flying back at present to her tree, and although she may have alighted on the branch her wings are not yet fairly settled to her side. I would hope and trust that this country will not be in too great a hurry to insist upon returning to what are called peace establishments, and not only to clean the sword but to insist upon hanging it up to rust against the wall. There is a medium in all things ; and I believe we may study economy and at the same time preserve efficiency. I believe we may look forward to the maintenance of good efficient forces both in the Army and in the Navy, but at the same time considerable relief from the taxation of the war. But Idielieve, at the same time, that it would be the most ill-timed economy suddenly to cut down that which you have so efficiently raised up, and to bring back the country into a state from which when war lately occurred it cost millions to rescue it. When my honourable friend who represented me in the House of Commons moved last year the Army. and Navy Estimates, they amounted to no less a sum than thirty-four millions ; but, to give you some idea that I am not exactly talking without book when I am saying that great efficiency may be maintained and yet relief from taxation achieved, I can promise you that those estimates this year will not come within twenty millions of what they did last year. And all I ask and hope for is, that this country will well consider the necessity of maintaining in these unsettled times a navy sufficient to defend our coasts at home and our possessions abroad2 and an army fitted to send troops to the field, as well as to perform the duties of those vast and extensive foreign possessions to which my noble friend the Commander-in-chief for Scotland so lately, referred." (Cheers.)
The further speaking was kept up with great spirit. In replying to the toast of "Prosperity to the United States," Mr. Steere, the American Consul, quoted some interesting figures from recent reports, showing the growth of his country, and drew a conclusion therefrom as to the consequent growth of mutual interests for Britain and America, which was greatly cheered. Sheriff Logan endeavoured to do a stroke of county business
" I avail myself of the presence of my right honourable friend the Lord Advocate to say., that since Themis or Justice is worshiped in Forfarshire, and has been pleased to establish me as her high priest within these limits, I pray that she may soon take steps to give me a temple in which I may safely and usefully administer her rites. For the fire of Themis, unlike that of Vesta, is not promoted by being kept in the cold." (Laughter.)
The last toast, "The Ladies," was given by Lord Panmurc, with much spirit and gusto.
Mr. Stuart Wortley, the new Solicitor-General, has issued an address to his constituents of Buteshire, asking for a renewal of that trust with which he has been honoured for fourteen years. He tells them that the step he has taken "implies no change of sentiment or action" ; that hitherto he has given Lord Palmerston an "independent support " ; that dining this period no great question of national policy has arisen on which he has differed from the present Prime Minister; that, attached to the institutions of his country, he has ever been ready "to redress abuses by the application of practical remedies " ; and that by this rule his conduct will continue to be regulated.
The Scotsman improves the advent of Christmas by a gratifying announcement of the finale to the M‘Laren prosecution.
"A Christmas gift was presented to this journal on Thursday, in the shape of duly stamped receipts for the 'damages' and whole expenses, amounting to nearly 120011., to which we were made liable by the prosecution at the instance of Mr. Duncan M‘Laren. A procedure regarding which we were neither afraid nor sorry from the commencement has thus ended not only innocuously, but with a result of which we can scarcely be unduly proud. Throughout we were supported by the conviction that we had spoken only under public motives and for public interests ; and now it is proved, by the severest of all tests and the most substantial of all evidence, that the public had to the same effect a clear opinion and a strong feeling To all the eight hundred subscribers—not more to the peer or the statesman with his 501. or his 201., than to the humblest name on the list—we shall best pay our acknowledgments by saying that we know what they intend, and she strive to give their intentions effect. They mean, that the proceeding at whose conclusion we have now arrived should not, by making political turpitude profitable or its exposure costly, deter us from doing again, when duty calls, what we have done before ; and we mean that, though always we hope in prudence and good-nature, their intentions shall not fail of fulfilment. And with that promise we leave the subject—only adding, that, though unable to discharge our debt to friends, we should be ungrateful alike to friend and enemy did we not make this the occasion of freely renouncing resentment as to all the past, out of whose evil has come so much good."
The death of Mr. Hugh Miller has caused a deep sensation in Edinburgh. On further examination, it appears that he did not die by accident, but by his own hand. Professor Miller and other medical men, after a post-mortem examination, arrived at this conclusion " The cause of death we found to be a pistol-shot through the left aide of the chest ; and this, we are satisfied, was inflicted by his own hand. From the diseased appearances found in the brain, taken in connexion with the history of the case, we have no doubt that the act was suicidal, under the impulse of insanity." The history of the ease here alluded to unfolds a tragedy of no common interest. Mr. Miller had been working with intense application to bring a new geological work—the "Testimony of the Rocks "—to completion. The overworking of his brain rendered him more than commonly susceptible. He dreaded attacks from footpads and burglars, and carried loaded fire-arias habitually. He especially feared for his valuable museum.
" He read all the recent stories of house robberies," says the Witness. "He believed that one night lately an actual attempt to break in upon his museum had been made. Visions of ticket-of-leave men prowling about his premises haunted him by day and by night. The revolver which lay nightly near him was not enough ; a broad-bladed dagger was kept beside it, while behind him, at his bed-head, a claymore stood ready at hand. A week or so ago a new and more aggravated feature of cerebral disorder showed itself in sudden and singular sensations in his head. They came on only after lengthened intervals. They did not last long, but were intensely violent. The terrible idea that his brain was deeply and hopelessly diseased—that his mind was on the verge of ruin—took hold of him, and stood out before his eye in all that appalling magnitude in which such an imagination as his alone could picture it." It was only two days before his death that he first spoke to an eminent physician on the subject. "On my asking," says TDr. Balfour in a communication to the Witness, " what was the matter with him, he replied= My brain is giving way. I cannot put two thoughts together today. I have had a dreadful night
of it. I cannot face another such. I was impressed with the idea that my museum was attacked by robbers, and that I had got up, put on my clothes, and gone out with a loaded pistol to shoot them. Immediately after that I became unconscious. How long that continued I cannot say; but when I awoke in the morning I was trembling all over, and quite confused in my brain. So thoroughly convinced was I that I must ha.ve been out through the night, that I examined my trousers, to see if they were wet or covered with mud, but could find none:' " On the 23d December Dr. Balfour and Professor Miller held a consultation on the case. "We examined his chest," says Professor Miller, "and found that unusually well ; but soon we discovered that it was head symptoms that made him uneasy. He acknowledged having been night after night up till very late in the morning, working hard and continuously at his new book,
which,' with much satisfaction he said, have finished this day.' He was sensible that his head had suffered in consequence as evidenced in two ways—first, occasionally he felt as if a very fine poniaid had been suddenly passed through and through his brain. The pain was intense, and momentarily followed by confusion and giddiness' and the sense of being very drunk,' unable to stand or walk. He thought that a period of unconsciousness must have followed this—a kind of swoon ; but he had never fallen. Second, what annoyed him most, however, was a kind of nightmare' which for some nights past had rendered sleep most miserable. It was no dream, he said ; he saw no distinct vision, and could remember nothing of what had passed accurately. It was a sense of vague and vet intense horror, with a conviction of being abroad in the night-wind, and dragged through places as if by some invisible power. Last night,' he said, 'I felt as if I had been ridden by a witch for fifty miles, and rose far more wearied in mind and body than when I lay down.'" The two medical gentlemen prescribed absolute rest, a light supper, and warm bath at bed-time. Soon after they had retired, the mind-servant went into the diningroom. "She found Mr. Miller in the room alone. Another of the paroxysms was on him. His face was such a picture of horror that she shrunk in terror from the sight. He flung himself on the sofa, and buried his head, as if in agony, upon the cushion." The vision did not continue ; and after tea Mr. Miller read two of Cowper's poems to his family, and one of his more playful pieces, for the gratification of his children. Retiring to rest, he followed all the doctor's directions except one—he did not take the medicines prescribed, having a repugnance to medicine of all kinds. Next morning, his body was found lifeless' and half-dressed, on the study-rug. The following lines to his wife were also found on a folio sheet lying on a table beside the corpse. "Dearest Lydia—My brain burns. I must have walked; and a fearful dream arises upon me. I cannot bear the horrible thought. God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me. Dearest Lydia, dear children, farewell, My brain burns as the recollection grows.
" My dear, dear wife, farewell. Drum Mn.Lien."
The funeral, on Monday, both as regards the attendance of mourners and the concourse of spectators, was one of the largest and most remarkable that has ever been witnessed in Edinburgh. At one o'clock the procession left Portobello, the residence of the deceased ; where the devotional exercises were conducted by Dr. Guthrie. At two o'clock it reached Waterloo Place ; where it was joined by the Kirk-Session of Free St. John's Church, of which Mr. Miller was a Deacon, by the members of the Royal Physical Society, by the compositors in the Witness office and by several hundreds of gentlemen. The hearse was followed by thirteen mourning-carriages and nineteen other carriages. Along all the streets from the Register Office to the Grange Cemetery the shops were very generally closed, at the request of the Magistrates ; and the pavements along the North and South Bridges and Nicolson Street were lined by large numbers of persons. The pall-bearers were—Mr. Miller's oldest son, fourteen years of age ; Mr. Wilkinson, his nearest kinsman ; Mr. Fairley, his partner in business ; Dr. Guthrie; Dr. Hanna; Mr. Dunlop M.P. ; Mr. Robert Paul ; and Dr. Cunningham. Among others present at the funeral were the Lord Provost, Mr. A. Black M.P., Dr. Candlish, Sir H. Moncrieff, Baillie Grieve, Treasurer Russell, Dr. Greville, Dr. Bruce, and Mr. Robert Chambers.
Mr. Hugh Miller was born at Cromarty, early in the century. As he grew up, he worked in the sandstone quarries of his native district for fifteen years; then he left that employment, to take the management of a bank established in his native town. Here he published "Legendary Tales of Cromarty " ; a work that for its pure English attracted the praise of Baron Hume, a nephew of the historian. A pamphlet on a religious subject drew upon him the notice of the leaders of the party which now form the Free Birk, and at their invitation he accepted the post of editor of the Witness newspaper. "It was in 1840, the year at which his own autobiographical memoir closes, that the name of Hugh Miller first became widely known beyond his own country. At the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Glasgow that year, Sir Roderick Murchison gave an account of the striking discoveries recently made in the old red sandstone of Scotland. M. Agassiz, who wasyresent, pointed out the peculiarities and the importance of these discoveries ; and it was on this occasion that he proposed to associate the name of Mr. Miller with them by the wonderful fossil the Pterichthys Millen, specimens of which were then under the notice of the section. Dr. Buckland, followina. M. Agassiz, said that he had never been so much astonished in his life by the powers of any man as he ,r had been by the geological descriptions of r. Miller. He described these objects with a felicity which made him ashamed of the comparative meagreness and poverty of his own descriptions in the Bridgewater Treatise, which had cost him hours and days of labour. Dr. Buckland would give his left hand to possess such powers of description as this man ; and if it pleased Providence to spare his useful life, he, if any one, would certainly render the science attractive and popular, and do equal service to theology and geology.' " Mr. Miller justified these anticipations in after years. "The personal appearance of Mr. Miller, or 'Old Red,' as he was familiarly named by his scientific friends, will not be forgotten by any who have seen him. A head of great massiveness, magnified by an abundant profusion of sub-Celtic hair, was set on a body of muscular compactness, but which in later years felt the undermining influence of a life of unusual physical and mental toil. Generally wrapped in a bulky plaid, and with a garb ready for any work, he had the appearance of a shepherd from the Ross-shire hills, rather than an author and a man of science. In conversation or in lecturing, the man of original genius and cultivated mind at once shone out ; and his abundant information and philosophical acuteness were only less remarkable than his amiable disposition, his generous spirit, and his consistent, humble piety. Literature and science have lost in him one of their brightest ornaments, and Scotland one of its greatest men."
The pistol that caused the death of Mr. Hugh Miller also killed another man. Professor Miller took the revolver to a gunsmith, in order to ascertain how many shots had been fired, and how many were still in the chamber. "In the master's absence, the foreman, Thomas Leslie, an old and experienced workman, received the pistol from Professor Miller; and unfortunately, instead of taking off the chamber, he looked into the muzzle, holding the hammer with his fingers while he turned the chamber round to count the charges. The hammer slipped from his fingers,. struck the cap, and the charge in the barrel exploded. Professor Miller, stall standing outside the counter exclaimed, That's a narrow escape !' but unhappily it was not so, for as the smoke cleared away, he saw the poor man's head gradually droop. and his body then fall lifeless on the floor. The charge had entered his right eye and penetrated the brain. Leslie was a steady, trustworthy man, and had been twenty-five years in his present employment. He has left a widow and a family of eight children."
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