by Rev. Aeneas McDonnell Dawson

PRINTING THE NEW TESTAMENT—NO CHANGE OF MEANING—3000 COPIES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT—BISHOP DOUGLAS AND OTHER ENGLISH CATHOLICS SUBSCRIBE—THE COUNT D’ARTOIS AT EDINBURGH—MISSION FUNDS HELD IN TRUST BY BISHOP CHISHOLM, SOME PRIESTS AND TWO LAYMEN—BONAPARTE AT THE GATES OF ROME—AN ARMISTICE—PEACE ON HARD CONDITIONS— PRINCE AUGUSTUS—HIS LOVE FOR THE SCOTCH MISSION—PROVIDING FOR THE SAFETY OF THE POPE DURING THE PANIC—IN 1797, BISHOP GEDDES WORSE—BISHOP HAY’S CONCERN—AQUORTIES LEASED FOR A COLLEGE—A HOUSE FOR 30 STUDENTS BUILT—SUPERSEDED BY BLAIRS—ITS CONDITION IN 1835—NOW ALMOST A SOLITUDE—ABERDEEN-SHIRE FRIENDLY—IN 1797, THE FRENCH ONCE MORE APPROACHING ROME—FLIGHT THE ONLY HOPE—THE POPE’S HORSES IN HIS COACH WHEN A BRITISH OFFICER CAME TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER—IMPORTANT ANNUAL MEETING AT GIBSTON—BISHOP HAY VINDICATED—STATE OF THE MISSION FUNDS—THE CONGREGATIONS URGED TO ASSIST THEIR PASTORS—COADJUTOR APPLIED FOR—SEMINARY FOR THE HIGHLANDS—PAINFUL CONDITION OF BISHOP GEDDES—SECOND SIGHT.

By October, 1790, Bishop Geddes and Mr. Robertson had fairly begun to print the New Testa­ment. The Greek and Vulgate versions, three English Catholic translations, King James’ and the Italian version of Martini, which had been commended by the Pope, were all before them. They were so sparing in making alterations, that in the whole Gospel of St. Matthew, which they had gone through, they had not changed the meaning of one word. Some expressions, indeed, they had changed. Bishop Challoner had done the same in every one of his three editions. It does not appear that the work of reprinting was continued; nor are we informed as to the amount of work that was done. Nothing practical was accomplished, apparently, till the year 1796, when Bishop Hay, in concurrence with others, bargained with John Moir, a printer at Edinburgh, for an edition of 3,000 copies of the Old Testament in four volumes. The total expense, including paper and binding, was £740. Bishop Gibson subscribed for upwards of 1,000 copies in sheets, Bishop Douglas for 600, Mr. Thomas Eyre at Crookhall, for 100, and Coghlan, the bookseller, for 100. Moir printed alike edition of the New Testament at £197. The two English Bishops took 1,350 copies, Mr. Eyre, 100, and Coghlan, 100. The selling price of the Old Testament bound, was 12s.; that of the New, to non-subscribers, three shillings. The work was undertaken and paid for by subscription. Half of the price was to be paid on delivery of the second volume. By this means alone money was obtained for printing the remaining volumes. Payments to workmen and for paper required to be made regularly. Neither the Bishop nor Mr. Moir had capital to advance for that purpose. The former, nevertheless, was under the necessity of advancing upwards of £80 in order to complete the work. The Bishop remained in Edinburgh the greater part of the summer, superintending the press.

Early this year, the exiled Count D’Artois came to Edinburgh. He was most hospitably received; and apartments were fitted up for him in the Palace of Holyrood. It was his intention to remain there, until it should be possible for him to return to France, as heir to the Crown. Bishop Hay was introduced to him by his chaplain and was graciously received.

The Bank of Scotland making a call on its shareholders, at this time it became necessary that Bishop Hay should pay to the bank as much as £1800. This would oblige him, he said, to live, at least six years, with the greatest economy. Bishop Geddes had great doubts as to the expedi­ency of lodging so much money in the bank in one name. It was a subject he thought, for delib­eration and advice, on account of the umbrage it might give to some ill-inclined persons, that Bishop Hay should have so large a sum of money in the bank, both on account of the inconven­ience of transferring so much property in case of the Bishop’s death, and of the temptation it presented to his relations in the event of any informality or error in his possession. Inquiry, even, in such a matter would be disagreeable.

As soon, accordingly, as Bishop Hay could proceed to the North after attending to the printing of the Scriptures, the two Bishops executed a trust deed of all their properties in favour of Bishop Chisholm, of some of the clergy and two lay gentlemen whom they enpowered in the event of their decease without successors to hold in trust all the monies standing in their names, for the interests of the mission.

At this time, Rome was panic-struck by the approach of a French army under Bonaparte. It had taken Bologna, and was marching in three columns by different routes, against the City of the Popes. The Roman army was quite unable to make head against this formidable force, being only 3,000 in number, and consisting chiefly of the most undisciplined soldiers that could be imagined. Two-thirds of them were French emigrants, Italian deserters and the refuse of other nations. Diplomacy was at work; but, meanwhile, the fear of the French soldiery prevailed. The Scotch agent, writing to the Bishop, says: “Such noise and confusion there was in town, such dejection and despair surpasses all conception; not a house but resounded with the cries of women and children; not a countenance but expressed terror and dismay, many entirely lost their judgments, and parents attempted to make away with their daughters by a violent death to preserve them from insult. If the courier who came to announce an armistice had delayed for twenty-four hours more, scenes would have happened here that would have equalled anything that is barbarous in history, and it is too probable that this day Rome would be a mass of ruins. Glory to God the danger is over, and I trust there is no fear it will recur. We have made an armi­stice; and a plenipotentiary is despatched to Paris in order to conclude a peace. The conditions are dreadful and humiliating to the last degree. We have ourselves to blame for them.”

Before the courier arrived the more religious people betook themselves to prayer. Their miser­able army gave them no hope; and the terror inspired by the enemy that was so near their gates, was greater than would be caused by a horde of the worst barbarians. Every street was crowded with penitential processions at all hours of the day, and even the night Prince Augustus had not left Italy. During the panic he advised the Scotch agent to fly with his young charge. As for himself he declared that as long as there was any chance of his being of service to the Scotch mission, in Rome, he neither could nor would fly. Mr. McPherson, the Scotch agent, has made arrangements for sending his students to Naples or Tuscany. The Irish agent had disappeared. Mr. Smelt, the English agent, was resolved to seek safety in Naples. The Cardinals also deter­mined on taking refuge in the kingdom of Naples, carrying the Holy Father along with them; for they were convinced that if he fell into the hands of the French they would certainly convey him to Paris, where every bad consequence, both as regarded his safety and the welfare of religion, was to be dreaded.

In January, 1797, Bishop Geddes became suddenly worse. Bishop Hay set out, at once, to close, as he believed, the eyes of his friend, and coadjutor. The invalid, however, rallied, once more; and the Bishop continued his journey to Fetternear in order to confer with Mr. Leslie, the propri­etor, on the lease of a farm for the seminary. An amicable arrangement was speedily made. The Bishop obtained a lease of the farm of Aquorties on the banks of the River Don, two miles from the House of Fetternear and three from the town of Inverurie, for 107 years. The farm consisted of 200 acres of arable land and 400 of hill and moor. The rent was £120, or £90 yearly, £500 being paid on taking possession. It was resolved to commence immediately the building of a house for the seminary, and at the same time the requisite farm offices. It was an arduous and costly enterprise. Hence it was necessary to solicit subscriptions. The congregation of Propa­ganda was first applied to; but, owing to the distracted state of Italy, could give no assistance. The Government was appealed to in favour of the work through Sir John Hippisley. The Cath­olics of the Lowlands subscribed more largely than could have been expected. Mr. Bagnal, the young priest of Kirkconnell, obtained from his congregation alone more than £80. Edinburgh subscribed £120. Aberdeen and the neighbouring country the same amount. Other missions contributed in proportion. The house, not including out buildings, cost £1,000; not a large sum, considering that it was calculated to accommodate thirty students, together with the requisite number of masters and servants.

It was still occupied by the mission when the writer visited the place, the year of his ordination, 1835. The late Rev. James Sharp was at that time in charge of both the farm and the congrega­tion. A later visitor found it, when in the hands of a stranger, quite undivested of its college-like appearance. The building is of solid granite, three stories high, with an attic, eighty feet in length by twenty-two in width, It faces the South, and the River Don in all its beauty is seen from the front windows. Its pleasure garden, although not large, is finely ornamented with shrubberies and a small pond. It is surrounded by a formal belt of trees and presents a fair specimen of the landscape gardening of the period. At the western end of the building is the chapel, about twenty feet by fourteen, and rising to the height of the second story. An outside door admitted the congregation. There are galleries at the sides and each end of the chapel. In that which faces the altar there were seats for the Fetternear family and a few people besides. In another gallery on the epistle side of the altar, communicating with the schoolroom, the students had their seats. The altar and altar rails were still preserved as they had been originally, the worthy tenant, acting on the impression that a place once dedicated to divine worship should not be subjected to meaner uses. The Corinthian pillars above the altar still supported a canopy. The space on the floor of the chapel had been for the service of the congregation. At the back of the house there is a large and fruitful kitchen-garden. It was first set apart by the Bishop and cultivated according to his directions. It is still kept in the highest order. The Bishop had a room in the house to which he resorted in his declining years; and in this room he departed to the better world. The place, hallowed by so many interesting associations, is now comparatively a soli­tude; and in thinking of what it was and what it is, one is reminded of the lines of Rogers

 “Mute is the bell that rung at peep of dawn,
Quickening my truant feet across the lawn;
Unheard the shout that rent the noontide air,
When the slow dial gave a pause to care.
Up springs at every step to claim a tear,
Some little friendship formed and cherished here;
And not the lightest leaf but trembling teems
‘With golden visions and romantic dreams.”

Sir John Hippisley, who was now residing at Warfield Grove, Berks, took a warm interest in the new seminary. As much aid was required in establishing it, and the Bishops contemplated applying to the Government, Sir John advised that they should address Mr. Dundas and, through him, the Duke of Portland. The worthy Baronet himself also undertook to recommend the matter to Government, and for this purpose desired to have a statement of the least possible expense that would be required to commence the seminary. The assistance of the English Catholics might also be requested.

It was now admitted that a long lease, such as the Bishop had obtained, was preferable to a purchase of property, so little could the Catholics, as yet, rely on the better feeling towards them that had come to prevail in the country. It was, indeed, a disadvantage that there were but few Catholics in the neighbourhood of Aquorties. But such disadvantage was counterbalanced by the fortunate circumstance that the Protestant population of Aberdeenshire were more friendly to Catholics than that of any other part of the country. The agent at Rome did all in his power to interest in the cause of the new seminary the Cardinals Gerdil, Albani and Antonelli. They favoured it with their approbation; but, in the uncertain state of affairs in Italy, they did nothing more.

In February, 1797, the French were once more at the gates of Rome. There was the greatest consternation in the city. It behoved the Scotch agent to provide for the safety of the students. Acting under the directions of the Cardinal Protector, he secured the ready money and church plate of the college and made arrangements for the departure of the few students there and of fifteen English students whom their agent had left to do as they best could. He was much assisted by Mr. Graves, an English merchant at Rome. Passports and everything else that was required, being procured, the party left Rome for Civita Vecchia on 12th February. Mr. Sloane, a Scotch merchant there, was all attention to them. The day before their departure eleven Cardi­nals fled from Rome. The Pope’s horses were in his coach, and he was himself dressed for flight, when a British officer, Colonel Duncan, arrived at the Vatican from Florence, and gave infor­mation to the effect that the danger was not so imminent. The Holy Father shed tears when he found that it was not necessary to leave his capital so suddenly. In the course of a fortnight the British students came back to their colleges. The agent was not, as yet, however, without appre­hension; but he gave way to importunity.

The annual meeting was held this year at Gibston, near Huntly. Bishops Hay and Chisholm met there in the month of August, the administrators of the mission funds. It was an important meeting. Bishop Hay thereat adopted measures that effectually put a stop to the reports injurious to his character as an honest manager of the mission affairs, which were afloat ever since the last meeting of administrators which was held three years previously. Regarding the partial appropriation of a legacy to a special purpose, his opponents had accused him of acting without the advice or concurrence of the administrators, and of endeavouring to force them, in an over­bearing manner, to do as seemed to him fit in the matter. The second question concerned an extraordinary supply voted for division among the clergy. The Bishop had been accused of arbi­trarily excluding some of them from the benefit of this supply, contrary to the known intentions of the administrators. In order to meet these accusations, the Bishop laid before the meeting a detailed statement of all that occurred at the former meeting and extracted there from a number of queries to which he requested categorical replies. This request was complied with; and the replies, completely clearing the Bishop of all that had been alleged against him, were written down by Mr. John Reid, clerk to the meeting, and signed by all the administrators present. Thus were the ill judged and unfounded misrepresentations of Mr. Farquarson and a few others who thought themselves aggrieved by the Bishop, completely, publicly, and finally refuted. At the same meeting Bishop Hay resigned the office of procurator, Mr. Charles Maxwell succeeding. Mr. Maxwell, in consequence, removed from his mission at Huntly to Edinburgh. The income of the mission was much reduced by the complete failure of its funds in France and a great falling off in the remittances that usually came from Rome. Four hundred and nineteen pounds yearly, was all that could be relied on while the expenditure for quotas, that is the allowances to the priests alone, amounted to more than £550. The guardians of the fund, therefore, were under the painful necessity of issuing a circular letter informing their brethren why they were compelled to reduce the quotas to £15 for the large towns and £10 for country missions.

Hitherto the Catholic laity had not considered it a duty to contribute towards the support of their pastors. They were now addressed on the subject in a document signed by the Bishops and appended to the letter which conveyed to the clergy the unwelcome tidings that their miserable salaries must be reduced. The people were shown that there is high authority for requiring that they should contribute towards the maintenance of their clergy. They were told, moreover, that unless they made an effort in this direction, all pastoral ministrations must necessarily cease.

The usual letters to Rome were signed later by Bishop Geddes at Aberdeen. In these letters the Bishops renewed their request for a coadjutor in the Lowland District (a request which, as has already been shown, was complied with), and informed the Cardinals that it was the intention of the Bishop of the Highland District to establish ere long, at home, a seminary, similar to that which had been already so auspiciously begun by his brother Bishop of the Lowlands. It was also intimated that Bishop Geddes had nearly lost his speech, that his appetite was gone, and that, from time to time, he was attacked with such violent internal pain as to make it difficult to believe that he could live an hour. His patience, meanwhile, was most exemplary,

The meeting once over, a new matter, on which the reader will be glad to have the opinion of the Bishops, came up for consideration. It was quite natural that Bishop Chisholm should be applied to for information on the subject of second sight, which was more prevalent in the High­lands than in any other part of Scotland. The agent at Rome, Mr. McPherson, requested of him answers to certain queries, and with such answers the Bishop readily supplied him. In a letter of 19th August, 1797 Bishop Chisholm wrote:

“1st. It is my own private opinion that such a thing has existed and does now exist, though less frequently than in former times. Many are fully convinced of the real existence of the ‘second sight;’ but, many likewise, look upon it as a chimera. But you will observe that many are incred­ulous in matters of greater consequence, and many know nothing, about the matter, and many are ashamed to acknowledge their belief on this head, as the belief of the second sight is not fashionable.

2nd. There are treatises written on the second sight.

3rd. Some families are more famous for the second sight than others; such is the family of McDonald of Morar, though it cannot be said to be confined to any particular family exclu­sively.

4th. The nature of it is generally a short and sometimes imperfect representation of what is to happen, does happen, or has happened at a distance beyond the reach of natural knowledge.

5th. Such as are affected with the second sight, see indiscriminately, happy and unhappy events, but more frequently, events of black and melancholy complexion. They see them before the event takes place, while it takes place, and after it has happened, but at such a distance that it would be impossible to know it so soon in a natural way.”

Forbes of Culloden, President of the Court of Session, while employed in checking some of the Highland Chiefs from joining the Prince, was cast by contrary winds into one of the small western isles. He went, as he landed, to a gentleman’s house, who had a snug elegant dinner prepared for him and his company on their arrival. “Sir,” said the President, astonished at the sight of the entertainment, and understanding the gentleman’s fortune could not be great, “May I beg leave to ask if you always live in this style.” “No, my Lord,” says the landlord, “that I cannot afford.” “And how,” replies the President, “did you happen to have such a dinner to-day?” “I knew,” said the Islander, that your Lordship was to be here to-day,” “Impossible,” answers the President, “we only landed just now, and, a little before, we knew nothing about it ourselves.” “Why, my Lord, a man who lives by me announced your arrival by describing your Lordship’s person, your company, dress, figure, etc., and informing me of the time you would be here to-day, which made me prepare the dinner you see.”

A connection of mine, Major Chisholm, son to Chisholm of Chisholm, was one day, as he told me, walking with his father before the door of the latter’s castle, when from the castle, a woman, famous for the second sight, rushed out and cried aloud: “God preserve your son, Laird, God preserve your son Roderick, I see him all covered over with blood.” In a short time who appeared on an eminence coming home but Roderick supported by two men, and all covered with blood, after a dangerous fall which was only a prelude to the blood he spilt soon after, under the Prince, while he commanded his father’s men at Culloden. After receiving a mortal wound, my uncle who was next in command to him, wanted to remove him from the field, and made a motion to follow him. “No,” said he, “command the men, lest any of them should leave the ranks.”

Bishop Hugh McDonald’s servant fainted, one day, at table. When he recovered he was asked the cause: “Why,” said he, “I saw a dead child on the table before me.” Within a little space the dead body of the child was stretched on that very table. The Bishop told the story.

Bishop John McDonald’s nephew, who was bred in England, came to see his friends in the Highlands. While in Morar, among some of his relations, he was, all at once, struck. When asked about it, “I see,” answered he, “a person drowned, taken out of the water;” and he described his appearance. In a short time after, the accounts of such a man as he described being drowned and taken out of the water, were received. I knew the man.

A short time before you (Mr. Paul McPherson) went to Rome, (1793), in my vicinity while in-Strathglass, a child saw his father, Bailie Hector McKenzie,. steward to McKenzie of Seaforth, in the winding sheets. His father called him his little prophet, and soon after, died.

You have now the second sight brought down to your time from Culloden. I could, for the infor­mation of their Lordships, give you my opinion relative to the cause of it; I do not mean a natural cause; but, as this has not been asked, I refer it to another time. Some, in very pompous expres­sions, have attempted to explain the second sight in a natural way; but their accounts appeared to me most unsatisfactory and absurd. I ever am, my dear sir, unalterably yours,
JOHN CHISHOLM.”

    


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