THOMAS DRUMMOND.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY DAYS.

THOMAS DRUMMOND was born in Castle Street, Edinburgh, on October 10, 1797. His father, who was a Writer to the Signet, belonged to a Scotch family of ancient lineage.

When Edgar Atheling fled from England, he took refuge, under stress of weather, in the Firth of Forth. He was accompanied in his flight by Maurice, the first of the name of Drummond,1 who was himself a member of the Royal House of Hungary.

King Malcolm welcomed the fugitives, and, in an especial manner, showed favour to Maurice, on whom he bestowed honours, offices, and lands. So runs the story of the foundation of the house of Drummond.

But we come to more settled historical facts, when, in 1445, we find Sir Malcolm Drummond of Cargill and Stobhall, head of that house, and owner of vast estates in Perth, Dumbarton, and Stirling. In 1487 Sir Malcolm's eldest son was raised to the Peerage as Lord Drummond. In 1605 the fourth Lord Drummond was created Earl of Perth; and in 1686 the fourth Earl of

1 Maurice assumed the name of Drummond.-Malcolm, "Genealogical Memoir of the House of Drummond."

Perth became Lord Justice - General, and Lord High Chancellor of Scotland.

The house of Drummond was divided into three branches--Invermay, Drummondernoch, and Comrie. The founder of the Drummondernoch branch was Thomas, the fourth son of Sir Malcolm Drummond of Stobhall.' From him was lineally descended James, "the seventh of Drummondernoch." His grandson, Patrick, who succeeded to the estates and title of Comrie, as well as of Drummondernoch, was the grandfather of the subject of this Memoir. Patrick died in embarrassed circumstances -the Drummondernoch estates having been sold to meet his liabilities. He left two sons and a daughter-James, John, and Beatrice. James succeeded to the Comrie estate, and married in 1792 "the beautiful Betsy Somers," daughter of James Somers of Edinburgh, a woman of remarkable character and energy; John became a major in the East India Service; and Beatrice married James Drummond of Strageath. In the lifetime of James Drummond, who was a generous man, and an improving landowner of large views, the family property became still further impaired, and after his death the Comrie estates were sold to the son of Viscount Melville. So the inheritance of the Drummonds of Drummondernoch and Comrie passed away.

James Drummond died on February 1, 1800. He left three sons and one daughter-James Patrick, Thomas, John, and Elizabeth. Mrs Drummond survived her husband many years, and lived to witness the fame and mourn the untimely death of her gifted child.

1 Thomas Drummond, fourth son of Sir Malcolm Drummond, was at Drummond Castle when the house refused to surrender to King James IV. Thomas fled to Ireland and subsequently to England, where, at the intercession of Henry VII., he was pardoned by King James; and returning to Scotland he received from Lord Graham the lands of Drummondernoch, which signifies the Irish Drummond's lands.—Malcolm, "Genealogical Memoir of the House of Drummond," p. 51.

and we have a touch

Thomas Drummond began life the inheritor of an historic name, but the possessor of no fortune. With an annual income of about £120, Mrs Drummond had to face the world with her helpless family. When his father died, Thomas was about three years old; ing account of an incident in his life at that early period, written nearly forty years afterwards by the mother whose comfort, pride, and hope he was from infancy to manhood. While Under Secretary at Dublin Castle, and then suffering from the malady which ended in his death, his mother wrote to him :—

"Thursday,' MOUNT PLEASANT.

"MY DEAREST TOM,-Your letter and recollections of the time gone by, were as refreshing to my mind as the scenes I sketched to you. The Sunday morning you describe, Eliza says she recollects well; and when you and I returned from our long and early walk, the rest were either not up, or newly arisen, but Eliza felt sore the disappointment in not having been awake to join us in our morning walk. No doubt it was for retirement I chose that early hour on a Sabbath morning, whose hallowed morn gives joy to all who love God's blessed day. I am glad it seems so deeply impressed, my dear Tom, upon your mind. Early impressions sink deep. When I am gone, you may, perhaps, and very possibly will, take the same range, and point to your son or daughter what I did to you. You were a dear little boy. Once when your beloved father was ill, the servants all occupied, you were in my arms. I kissed you, placed you on a chair at the foot of the bed, and bid you be a good boy and sit there till I had time to take you again. I was so much taken up attending your dear papa that I quite forgot you, and long after found you patiently sitting waiting till I was to

1 Written probably in 1838 or 1839.

take you again in my arms as mamma's lambie. Well do I recollect this proof of your early love for me, and your docile temper; and since you have grown up, many a day you have been my treasure and my comfort, and God will return it all to you, though in a different way. He will give you comfort and delight in your children, for of all God's mercies this is the choicest, good, kind children. . . . -Your attached mother,

"E. DRUMMOND."

During the years following her husband's death, Mrs Drummond took a house on the bank of the Esk, near Musselburgh, and there-from 1801 to 1810-Drummond's boyhood days were spent. We have no graphic picture of him in these days. Here and there we get glimpses of him in his sister's and mother's letters or conversations, but only in faint outline. He seems to have been a thoughtful, serious boy, with kindly blue eyes and dark eyelashes; short, even for his years, but energetic, practical, docile, and affectionate. The weight of the great sorrow which fell upon his mother, when he was yet an infant in arms, appears to have pressed on him too. He felt her troubles, lad as he was, and tried to lighten them. He was always busy about the house, “making things," as his sister expresses it. "About the house," says Eliza Drummond, "his power of contrivance made him exceedingly useful. And whatever went wrong, from the roasting jack upwards, the appeal was to Tommy to put it right." Nor, there is every reason for thinking, was this done merely because it amused the boy, but also because it pleased the mother whom he "idolised."

He took a great interest in cannons and ships. These were his toys, and he was an adept at "mounting batteries," and rigging all sorts of craft. In later years Mrs Drummond described these youthful traits. Writing in 1838,

when her son was ill in Dublin, to Mrs Sharp,1 she says:

"4th October 1838.

"MY DEAR MRS SHARP,—I received your last; I wish I could say, with pleasure. Alas! your account of my dear son is most painful; I fear indeed his constitution is deeply impaired.

"Except a cut, or bruise, or hurt, my boys never had any other sore; and when I saw them safe in bed at night, I used often to say, thank God they are all safe and sound. My great fear in those days was gun powder, for which boys have such an itching for their little cannons. Squibs, rockets, &c., were a perpetual cause of alarm, for an encampment was near where we were, and the boys were often getting cartridges from the soldiers. With all my care I could not prevent this. I used often to threaten that I would write to the commanding officer to put a stop to it. Tom had then a little battery of cannon, machinery for a bridge, little ships nicely rigged out, &c.— in short, his time was completely occupied, never a moment idle. But his lessons were first despatched. From his infancy he was busied, often neglecting food-his mild and generous temper often leading him to espouse quarrels to help the weaker party-for he was very heroic. Pardon all this egotism. I think you don't dislike hearing this, as you love him with a sincere affection. .-Your affectionate friend,

"E. DRUMMOND."

The first school-a day school-to which Drummond went, was kept by a brutal master named Taylor. Taylor seems to have taken an aversion to the boy, and to have treated him infamously. One day Drummond came home 1 post.