Biography

Walter Macfarlane. (-1767) (aka. 19th of Arrochar, 20th Chief of Clan Macfarlane)

19th of Arrochar, and 20th chief of the Macfarlane clan. Son of John Macfarlane of Ardess (d. 1705) and Helen Arbuthnot (1675-1741). Half-brother (on mothers side) of John Spottiswoode. Antiquarian and genealogist. Married to Elizabeth Erskine (Lady Betty).

Life with James Boswell:

Boswell visited him in London on November 21, 1762, discussing the feud between the Scots and the English. He also saw him on various occasions in the company of his wife and her family, who arrived in London around December 1, 1762 and stayed until March 14, 1763.

Boswell may have had some disagreements with Macfarlane - on 27/12-1762 he mentioned that he had tea with Lady Betty, and that he no longer intended to refer to the Macfarlane name. The journal doesn't tell us why. On January 18, 1763, however, Macfarlane tells James that "you are welcome on your own account. But suppose that was not the case, I owe your father as many dinners". They seem to have gotten on well for the remainder of his London stay.

In his journal entry of September 25, 1764, while staying at the court of Anhalt-Dessau, Boswell wrote, in connection with a hunt:

"A large stag was single out, and away we went after him. It was the first time that I saw this sport, and a most noble one it is. Macfarlane would say, "Then it might be a marquis, for Most Noble is his title."

To his statement, the editors of Boswell on the Grand Tour (vol 1) has attached a footnote reading that

"Boswell's elderly friend Walter Macfarlane of Macfarlane, an antiquary, might be expected to be punctilious in such matters. The proper style of a marquis is "Most Honourable"."

External links:

• Macfarlane family tree - from Stirnet
• History of the MacFarlanes

This article was last updated at March 10 2008 20:47:51 CET

Other links of possible interest