, for his poem the "Lord of the Isles,"
which he was then engaged in composing. Mr Train amply fulfilled the
request by visiting the ruined structure situated on the coast of
Ayrshire; and he thereafter transmitted to his illustrious correspondent
those particulars regarding it, and of the landing of Robert Bruce, and
the Hospital founded by that monarch, at King's Case, near Prestwick,
which are given by Sir Walter in the notes to the fifth canto of the
poem. During a succession of years he regularly transmitted legendary
tales and scraps to Sir Walter, which were turned to excellent account
by the great novelist. The fruits of his communications appear in the
"Chronicles of the Canongate," "Guy Mannering," "Old Mortality," "The
Heart of Mid Lothian," "The Fair Maid of Perth," "Peveril of the Peak,"
"Quintin Durward," "The Surgeon's Daughter," and "Redgauntlet." He
likewise supplied those materials on which Sir Walter founded his dramas
of the "Doom of Devorgoil," and "Macduff's Cross."

When Sir Walter was engaged, a few years previous to his death, in
preparing the Abbotsford or first uniform edition of his works, Mr Train
communicated for his use many additional particulars regarding a number
of the characters in the Waverley Novels, of which he had originally
introduced the prototypes to the distinguished author. His most
interesting narrative was an account of the family of Robert Paterson,
the original "Old Mortality," which is so remarkable in its nature, that
we owe no apology for introducing it. Mr Train received his information
from Robert, a son of "Old Mortality," then in his seventy-fifth year,
and residing at Dalry, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. According to
the testimony of this individual, his brother John sailed for America in
1774, where he made a fortune during the American War. He afterwards
settled at Baltimore, where he married, and lived in prosperous
circumstances. He had a son named Robert, after "Old Mortality," his
father, and a daughter named Elizabeth; Robert espoused an American
lady, who, surviving him, was married to the Marquis of Wellesley, and
Elizabeth became the first wife of Prince Jerome Bonaparte.[115]

On his first connexion with the Excise, Mr Train turned his attention to
the most efficient means of checking illicit distillation in the
Highlands; and an essay which he prepared, suggesting improved
legislation on the subject, was in 1815 laid before the Board of Excise
an