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Updated: June 26, 2025
'Mossgiel and Ballochmyle, and the house where you lived in Mauchline. 'We'll go to that first; it's not a great sight, I warn you only a whitewashed, thatched cottage in a by-street. When we've seen that, we'll take a trap and drive to the other places. 'But that will cost a great deal, said Gladys doubtfully, recalled for the moment to the small economies it was her daily lot to practise.
Arriving at the railway-station, we found a tall, elderly, comely gentleman walking to and fro and waiting for the train. He proved to be a Mr. Alexander, it may fairly be presumed the Alexander of Ballochmyle, a blood-relation of the lovely lass. Wonderful efficacy of a poet's verse, that could shed a glory from Long Ago on this old gentleman's white hair!
But, in honest truth, the great charm of a woman, in Burns's eyes, was always her womanhood, and not the angelic mixture which other poets find in her. Our driver pointed out the course taken by the Lass of Ballochmyle, through the shrubbery, to a rock on the banks of the Lugar, where it seems to be the tradition that Burns accosted her. The song implies no such interview.
These Alexanders, by-the-by, are not an old family on the Ballochmyle estate; the father of the lass having made a fortune in trade, and established himself as the first landed proprietor of his name in these parts. The original family was named Whitefoord.
Went to Jedburgh to circuit, where found my old friend and schoolfellow, D. Monypenny. Nothing to-day but a pack of riff-raff cases of petty larceny and trash. Dined as usual with the Judge, and slept at my old friend Mr. Shortreed's. The coach to Edinburgh. See "The Braes of Ballochmyle;" Currie's Burns, vol. iv. p. 294.
EDINBURGH, Dec. 7th, 1786, HONOURED SIR, I have paid every attention to your commands, but can only say what perhaps you will have heard before this reach you, that Muirkirklands were bought by a John Gordon, W.S., but for whom I know not; Mauchlands, Haugh Miln, etc., by a Frederick Fotheringham, supposed to be for Ballochmyle Laird, and Adam-hill and Shawood were bought for Oswald's folks.
Arriving at the railway-station, we found a tall, elderly, comely gentleman walking to and fro and waiting for the train. He proved to be a Mr. Alexander, it may fairly be presumed the Alexander of Ballochmyle, a blood relation of the lovely lass. Wonderful efficacy of a poet's verse, that could shed a glory from Long Ago on this old gentleman's white hair!
This beautiful estate of Ballochmyle is still held by the family of Alexanders, to whom Burns's song has given renown on cheaper terms than any other set of people ever attained it. How slight the tenure seems!
There is no male heir to the estate of Auchinleck. The portion of the lands which we saw is covered with wood and much undermined with rabbit-warrens; nor, though the territory extends over a large number of acres, is the income very considerable. By and by we came to the spot where Burns saw Miss Alexander, the Lass of Ballochmyle.
I am, honoured Sir, your dutiful son, P. S. My meal is nearly out, but I am going to borrow till I get more. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. VII. To SIR JOHN WHITEFOORD, BART., OF BALLOCHMYLE. SIR, We who subscribe this are both members of St.
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