Catherine Hyde, daughter of Henry Earl of Clarendon, and wife of Charles Duke of Queensberry. She was the friend of Gay, and her beauty, wit, and oddities have been celebrated in prose and rhyme by the wits and poets of two generations. Fifty-six years after Prior had sung her "mad Grace's" praises, Walpole added those two lines to the Female Phaeton-- "To many a Kitty Love his car, will for a day engage, But Prior's Kitty, ever fair, obtained it for an age." She died at a great age in 1777. For her letter to George II. when forbid the Court, see Agar Ellis, _Historical Inquiries_, Lond. 1827, p. 40. [329] Ballad on young Rob Roy's abduction of Jean Key, Cromek's _Collections_.--J.G.L. [330] See Letter to C.K. Sharpe, from Drumlanrig, vol. ii. pp. 369-71. [331] Sir Frederick Adam, son of the Chief Commissioner--a distinguished soldier, afterwards High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands, and subsequently Governor of Madras; he died in 1853. [332] Mr. Richard Sharp published in 1834 a very elegant and interesting little volume of _Letters and Essays, in Prose and Verse_.--See _Quarterly Review_, 102.--J.G.L. He had been Member of Parliament from 1806 to 1820, and died on the 30th of March 1835 at the age of seventy-six. SEPTEMBER _September_ 1.--Awaked with a headache, which the reconsideration of Gibson's news did not improve. We save _Bonaparte_ however, and that is a great thing. I will not be downcast about it, let the worst come that can; but I wish I saw that worst. It is the devil to be struggling forward, like a man in the mire, and making not an inch by your exertions, and such seems to be my fate. Well! I have much to comfort me, and I will take comfort. If there be further wrath to come, I shall be glad that I bear it alone. Poor Charlotte was too much softened by prosperity to look adverse circumstances courageously in the face. Anne is young, and has Sophia and Jane to trust to for assistance. _September_ 2.--Wrote this morning, but only two pages or thereabouts. At twelve o'clock set out with Anne and Walter to visit at Makerstoun, but the road between Makerstoun and Merton being very bad, we drove, I dare say, thirty miles in going and coming, by a circuitous route, and only got home at half-past seven at night. Saw Lady Brisbane Makdougall, but not Sir Thomas.[333] Thought of old Sir Henry and his older father Sir George. Received a box of Australian seeds, forwarded by Andrew Murray, now head-gardener to the Governor, whom I detected a clever boy, among my labourers in 1812, and did a little for him. It is pleasant to see men thrive and be grateful at the same time, so good luck to "Andrew Mora," as we called him. _September_ 3.--Made up my necessary task for yesterday and to-day also, but not more, writing very heavily. Cousin Archie Swinton came to dinner. We had a dish of cousinred of course--and _of auld lang syne_.[334]