Biography

Andrew Crosbie. (1736-1785) (aka. of Holm)

Advocate. Son of Andrew Crosbie of Holm, sometime Provost of Dumfries.

According to the History of the Burgh of Dumfries, Crosbie

"was a successful lawyer, and justly looked upon as one of the most eloquent pleaders of his time, at the Scottish bar. As many of the incidents in "Guy Mannering" occurred in Dumfriesshire, it was all the more natural in Scott to take the ablest lawyer of the County as the prototype of the learned, witty, and benevolent advocate who had the Ellangowan family and Dandie Dinmont for his clients. In these respects the character of Mr. Crosbie corresponded pretty closely with that of Paulus Pleydell, Esq., in the romance."

He lost most of his fortune as a consequence of the bankruptcy of the Ayr Bank in 1773, and "[w]hen he died left so little to support his widow that she was obliged to apply for a pension of £50 a year from the Faculty of Advocates" (CJJ, p. 276n3)

Life with James Boswell:

Forthcoming. Biography added due to popular demand.

This article was last updated at January 28 2008 10:51:19 CET

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