LONGEVITY.
[To THE EDITOR 01. THE " SPECTATOR.")
Sin,-You are mistaken in supposing that " at present the highest age known capable of absolute proof is 106, at which Lady Smith died a few years since."
My grand-aunt, Elizabeth Gray, daughter of William Gray, of Newholm, was born at Newholm, in the parish of Dolphinton, county of Lanark, on May 11th, 1748, and died in this house (86 Great King Street, Edinburgh) on 2nd April, 1858. On the day of her death she therefore only wanted twenty-two days to complete her 108th year. She was buried in the Grey Friars Churchyard, Edinburgh, and I have in my possession two portraits of the old lady, one in oils, painted by Sir John Watson Gordon, president of the Royal Scottish Academy ; the other in coloured crayons, by Archer. A woodcut from a photograph of this drawing was published in the Illustrated London News shortly after Miss Gray's death. As regards the proof that the Elizabeth Gray who died on April 2nd, 1858, is the seine person whose birth is registered in the parish of Dolphinton on May 11th, 1748, there is, first, the payment to her of a rent-charge on the property of Newholm ; and, second, the testimony of her brothers and sisters P Her mother, who died on May 8th, 1808, aged 96, had 20 children. Four were born dead. Of the remaining 16, 5 died young. The other eleven were,-John, born 1731, died 1811, aged 80; Anne, born 1733, died 1825, aged 92; Grizzle, born 1734, died 1821, aged 87; William, born 1735, died 1805, aged 70; Magdalene, born 1739, died 1826, aged 87; Janet, born 1742, died 1833, aged 91; Isabella, born 1745, died 1830, aged 85 ; Elizabeth, born 1748, died 1858, aged 107; Jane, born 1752, died 1829, aged 77; Fordyce, born 1754, died 1840, aged 86 ; Susan, born 1755, died 1841, aged 86. The average age of Elizabeth Gray and of these ten brothers and sisters was, therefore, 86.
I may mention that Sir George Cornewall Lewis had a cor- respondence with Elizabeth Gray's nephew and executor, the late W. A. Cuningham, wine merchant, Edinburgh, respecting the proofs of Miss Gray's age, and that Sir George considered these proofs satisfactory.-I am, Sir, &c., A. CUNNINGHAM ROBERTSON, Lieutenant-General.
86 Great King Street, Edinburgh, September 23,xi.
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