In gloomy shades of darksome night, where Phœbus hides his head, I heard an echo cry aloud, that Umphrey Milne was dead. My stupid senses rose aloft and wakened with a cry, Let Pegasus, the Muses’ horse, go through the air and fly, To tell the ends of all the earth that he has lost his breath— · · · · · I will not name his parentage, his breeding, nor his birth; But he that runs may read his life—he was a man of worth. He valued not this earth below, although he had it _satis_, He loved to lay his stock above, and now he is _beatus_. · · · · · Since none can well describe his worth that in this land doth dwell, He’ll waken at the trumpet’s blow, and answer for himsell. The street elegists got a capital subject in July 1700, when Lady Elcho died in youth and beauty, in consequence of her clothes catching fire.[168] Of her it is said: Were it the custom now to canonise, We might her in the Alb of Saints comprise. She either was as free from faults as they, Or had she faults, the flame purged these away. As to her ladyship’s surviving husband: Only well-grounded hopes of her blest state Can his excessive agonies abate, And the two hopeful boys she left behind, May mitigate the sorrows of his mind. [Sidenote: DEC. 13.] The dies and punches required for the new coinage now about to be issued, were the work of James Clarke, being the first time the work had ever been executed within the kingdom. James had done the whole business in less than a year, ‘which used to take no less than two or three years when executed in England, and cost the general and master of the Mint great attendance and much expenses;’ but as yet ‘he had not received one farthing for his work,’ although it had been agreed that he should have a half of his charges beforehand. The Privy Council, on his petition, [Sidenote: 1695.] _recommended_ the Treasury to pay him two hundred pounds sterling, being the sum agreed upon.[169] [Sidenote: DEC.] In Scotland, justice had at this time, as heretofore, a geographical character. It did not answer for a Highlander to be tried too near the lands of his feudal enemies. If, on the other hand, he was to be tried in Edinburgh, his accusers were likely to find the distance inconveniently great, and prefer letting him go free.