He was born anno 1731, and succeeded his father, 1760. He received a liberal education, and was an excellent Greek and Latin scholar. He was a noted pedestrian, and frequently walked to London. On one occasion, he walked from London to Ury, (510 miles,) in ten successive days; on another, he walked 210 miles in three days, or at the rate of 70 miles a day. He also went 81 miles in about 16 hours. He never walked to London after he was elected a member of parliament, as erroneously reported; but he had frequently done so before that time. His ordinary pace was six miles an hour. His height was six feet. He was athletic, and of the handsomest form. The vigour of his mind was conspicuous throughout a laborious and active life; and his improvements in agriculture, entitle him to the warmest eulogy of his countrymen. Mr. Robertson, the intelligent author of the ‘Survey of Kincardineshire,’ has devoted 27 pages of his work to illustrate Mr. Barclay’s agricultural improvements; and, from his account, as there can be no better testimony, we shall extract the following particulars. ‘The man,’ says Mr. Robertson, ‘who exerted himself most for the improvement of the county--whose labours were the most strenuous and best conducted--and whose example had the most extensive influence--was the late Mr. Barclay of Ury. His, indeed, were no common powers. Endowed with the most ardent, energetic, and comprehensive mind, he employed his great talents as an agriculturist with unwearied perseverance, and to the most beneficial results. The subject he had to improve, or rather to subdue, was of the most obdurate nature; but difficulties tended only to excite his activity, and, adhering tenaciously to his own pre-conceived and well-adjusted plans, he was ultimately successful. ‘The estate of Ury, the chief object of his improvements, lies on both sides of the rivulet of Cowie, and extends from Stonehaven in a north-westerly direction, for nearly five miles. The mansion-house is situated about a mile and a half from the efflux of the Cowie, on its northern bank.--When Mr. Barclay succeeded to the estate, there was scarcely a shrub of any value on the whole property, excepting a few old trees around the house.