''
To the particulars explanatory of the plan of
these Chronicles, which the reader is presented
with in Chapter II. by the imaginary Editor,
Mr Croftangry, I have now to add, that the
lady, termed in his narrative, Mrs Bethune
Balliol, was designed to shadow out in its
leading points the interesting character of a
dear friend of mine, Mrs Murray Keith,* whose
* The Keiths of Craig, in Kincardineshire, descended
from John Keith, fourth son of William, second Earl Marischal,
who got from his father, about 1480, the lands of Craig,
and part of Garvock, in that county. In Douglas's Baronage,
443 to 445, is a pedigree of that family. Colonel Robert
Keith of Craig (the seventh in descent from John) by his wife,
Agnes, daughter of Robert Murray of Murrayshall, of the
family of Blackbarony, widow of Colonel Stirling, of the
family of Keir, had one son; viz. Robert Keith of Craig, ambassador
to the court of Vienna, afterwards to St Petersburgh,
which latter situation he held at the accession of King George
III.,---who died at Edinburgh in 1774. He married Margaret,
second daughter of Sir William Cunningham of Caprington,
by Janet, only child and heiress of Sir James Dick of Prestonfield;
and, among other children of this marriage, were,
the late well-known diplomatist, Sir Robert Murray Keith,
K.
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