Edinburgh Races.

Aug. 5. This day, the City of EdinBurg's Plate of Fifty Pounds was run for over the Sands of Leith, and won at three heats by Lord Caffillis's Carrick, beating Col. Harbord's Harbord ;-Mr Pierrepont's Rutland; Mr Web's Fanny; Mr Livingflone's Parkhall; Mr Dawfon's Rofalind; and Mr Wilfon's Creeping Jane.-There were three heats -Harbord won the first heat, and Carrick the two laft. This was an excellent race, being very keenly contefted, and the horfes came in very clofe. Tuesday.His Majefty's Purfe of Ico guineas was won by

Mr Anfon's Applegirth,

Sir H. Williamfon's Honey

comb,

3

I I

I 2 2

2

Mr Ofwald's Pantagruel, 3 dr. WednesdayThe Noblemen and Gentlemen's Subfcription Purfe of Fifty Gui Beas was run for, and won by

.

I

Lord Belhaven's Mr Robert,
Colonel Villaird's High Eagle,
Sir H. Williamfon's Hambleton, 3
Mr M'Adam's Hippopotamus,

--

2

3

2

Mr Brown's Guilland, Thursday. The Hunters' Purfe of Fif ty Guineas, was run for, and won by Mr Pierrepont's Rutland,

Colonel Baird's Pyebald,

I

2

At Hydrabad, in the Eaft Indies, G. Ure, Elq. furgeon to the Prefidency, to Mifs H. Blair, youngest daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Blair, Prebendary of Westminster.

June. At Ayr, Mr James Hume, to Mifs Elizabeth Bowie, eldeft daughter to Doctor Bowie of Ayr.

14. At London, Hanover Square, Alexander Johnston, Efq. of Chefterfield-fireet, May Fair, to Mifs Campbell, daughter of the late Lord William Campbell.

18. At Greenock, Mr John M Kin non writer, to Mifs Carmichael, daughter of Mr John Carmichael, merchant.

20. At Stoke, James Raymond Johnftone, Efq. of Alva, to Mifs Mary Elizabeth Cholmeley, third daughter of Moun tague Cholmeley, Efq.

manners, endeared him to a large circle of friends and acquaintance: His important public fervices, in very difficult and dangerous times, must be gratefully remembered by the community over which he fo long prefided as Chief Magistrate. Mr Elder, through the whole courte of his life, and both in his public and private capacity, was diftinguished by clear, ftrong good fenfe, great and perfevering activity in all his undertakings, inflexible integrity in his conduct, and perfect firmnefs in what he judged to be right. Thefe talents and virtues were exerted without pomp, affectation, or aufterity; on the contrary, with the utmoft opennefs and frankness, and the moft modeft fimplicity and gentleness of manners. It was often remarked of him, that he could refufe with a better grace than many others could confer a favour. And it is well known that fome of thofe, whose plans of revolutions he detected and thwarted in the year 1792, 93, and 94 (the memorable period of the British Convention at Edinburgh) did him the juftice to acknowledge, that no perfon in his fituation of Chief Magiftrate, could have behaved better than he did, in point of activity, firmnefs, and moderation.

His fituation at that time was indeed very critical. He had full information of the projects carrying on by the malcontents: projects which from their magnitude and atrocity, many perfons at firft could not believe to be real; and which others, for very different reafons, affected not to believe. But while he faw how great and how near the danger was, he felt feverely the want of adequate means to repel it. From the urgency of the war, then just begun, there was hardly any military force left in this country; it is believed not 1800 troops in all Scotland, and of thefe fcarce 300 in or near Edinburgh. The Affociation fo well known fince by the name of the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, the firft of the kind in Scotland, was not then formed, yet in thefe circumftances he went in perfon, as a Civil Magiftrate, to a meeting of that Convention and difperfed it. And on the first attempt to collect a mob, which was on pretence of escorting Mr Margarot in a kind of triumph to the Court the day of his trial, he, without any military force, and fupported only by a few of the most respectable inhabitants of Edinburgh, met and difperfed that mob,

Mr Elder was much pleafed with the plan of the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, begun in fummer 1794, the importance

of which he quickly perceived. As Chief Magiftrate of the city, he exerted himself to the utmoft to promote that inftitution. But it was his refolution as foon as he was out of office to enter into that association, and to carry a musket as a private in the ranks. This was prevented by a very fingular compliment paid him by that refpectable body; the most honourable teftimony which they could give of their fenfe of his perfonal character and of his meritorious public fervices. They unanimoufly agreed in recommending him to his Majefty, to be their firft Lieutenant Colonel. The commiffion of Colonel, For the most obvious and weighty reafons, was to be given to the Lord Provost offcially, as Lord Lieutenant of the city. But it was the wish of the volunteers that as many of the commiffions as poffible, and especially the higher commiffions of Field Officers and Captains, fhould be held only by officers who had ferved with reputation in his Majefty's regular forces; while the other gentlemen of the Affociation, of whatever birth, fortune, or ftation, were to ferve indifcriminately in the ranks. The only exception to this rule was in favour of Mr Elder.

More lately, in 1797, he had another fingular compliment paid him, ftrongly expreffive of the refpect and efteem in which he was held.

The Principal and Profeffors in the Univerfity of Edinburgh, upanimously requested of him to fit for his portrait, to be preferved in the Univerfity library. There, no portraits are preferved but thofe of men eminent for learning or fcience. But Mr Elder deferved peculiarly well of the Univerfity, in other refpects, befides his important fervices to the community at large. He brought to maturity the plan for rebuilding the College, which was in a very ruinous flare; and during his paft Provofthip in 1789, the new building was begun, and no doubt that great work, fo evidently ufeful, and fo highly ornamental to the city, would have been completed before this time, but for the exigencies of the war.

To Mr Elder's numerous friends it will be a gratification to know, that his portrait for the University library was painted by Mr Raeburn, in this excellent artifl's beft manner; that it is a firiking likenefs; and that a mezzotinto from it is almost finished by Mr Earlom of London.

In 1795 Mr Elder was appointed Poft. Mafter General for Scotland, an honourable teftimony of his Majefty's sense of

He thrice held the office of Chief Ma

giftrate of Edinburgh, for two years each time, firft from 1788 to 1790, again from 1791 to 1794, and laftly from 1796 to 1798.

His affiduous attention to the duties of his ftation, and the extraordinary exertions required of him in his fecond Provoftfhip, had fenfibly impaired his health. It was a fubject of ferious regret to his friends that he entered on that office a third time. But though he was fenfible of his own fituation, and warned of the probable bad confequences of fuch unremitting and anxious application to public bufinefs; and even unwilling, as his friends well knew, to engage any more in that arduous task, he could not decline it, confiftently with his ftrict notions of public duty.

It foon appeared that the apprehenfions of his friends were but too well founded.-His health continued to decline, and before the end of 1798, was in a hopeless flate; which ended in his death.

April 29. At Kingston in Jamaica, much and juftiy regretted, Mr Thomas Gillespie, merchant of that place.

At his plantation on May River, South Carolina, in April laft, Mr William M.Kimmey.

May 19. At Perth, on her way from Falkirk to the north, Mrs H. Roy, of the Lochaber regiment.

At Sheerness, in the month of May laft, Mr James Peterkin, eldeft fon of the Rev. Mr Peterkin, late of Ecclefmachan. Lately, in the fouth fuburbs of Cork, a man named Kidney, a labourer, at the great age of 120 years.

At Dublin, Alexander. Bofwell, Efq. Clerk of the Northern Road in the General Poft Office.

At Hurlet, Mr Hugh Walker, clerk to Mr Wilfon of Hurlet Collieries.

June 15.At Haughead, Campfey, Mrs Drummond, relict of Mr Peter Drummond of Knowhead.

At Jedburgh, John Rutherfurd Ainflie, Elq.

-. Mifs Mary Stewart Wallace, eldeft daughter of Alexander Wallace, Banker, At his house near Peterhead, Dr Hay of Cocklaw, late phyfician in Lon

don.

16. At Inverary, in the 19th year of his age, Mr Alexander Campbell, AchTian.

37. At her houfe in George's Street,