of the Royal Physical Society. His other works were: 1. 'A Compendium or General Abridgment of the Faculty Collection of Decisions of the Lords of Council and Session from Feb. 4 1754 to the Session of 1817,' Edinb. 1819-20. 2. 'A Translation and Explanation of the Technical Terms in Mr. Erskine's Institutes of the Law of Scotland,' Edinb. 1820; 2nd edition, 1829. 3. A Collection of Latin Maxims and Rules in Law and Equity, with an English translation,' Edinb. 1823. 4. 'An Analysis of the Act of Parliament 6 Geo. IV, and the Acts of Sederunt founded thereon,' Edinb. 1827. These acts remodelled the procedure in the court of session. 5. 'A Digest of the Law of Scotland relating to Marriage. Book i.,' Edinb. 1827; new edition, 1831.
[References in works above quoted; Cat. of Advocates' Library.]
HALKERSTONE, DAVID (d. 1680), covenanter. [See Hackston.]
HALKET, GEORGE (d. 1756), Scottish song-writer, is said by Peter Buchan (Gleanings of Scotch, English, and Irish Old Ballads) to have been a native of Aberdeenshire. In 1714 he was appointed schoolmaster, precentor, and session-clerk in the parish of Rathen, Aberdeenshire. One apartment served for dwelling and schoolhouse, and when, in 1718, Halket married Janet Adamson, the
heritors being severely economical caused his box-bed to be reversed, so that its back should be a partition between school and bedroom, while they let a window into the north wall to insure the comfort of the sleepers. Halket's unsteady habits led to his dismissal from Rathen in 1725, and with his wife and three
children he settled at Cairnbulg, some distance off, and was a more or less successful schoolmaster there for twenty-five years. In 1750 he removed to Memsie, becoming tutor in the families of Colonel Fraser and Sir James Innes, besides doing other private teaching. His last change was to Tyrie, where he died in 1756. According to Buchan, he is buried in Fraserburgh old churchyard.
Halket's only undoubted publication is a thin 12mo volume, entitled 'Occasional Poems upon Several Subjects,' printed at Aberdeen in 1727 for the author, who figures on the title-page as 'George Hacket.' There are four poems in the work: 'Advice to Youth,' based on Ecclesiastes, xii. 1-2; 'Good Friday,' in which the author illustrates one part of his theme with severe references to the treatment of Charles I by Scottish and English whigs; 'Easter Day;' and an insipid 'Pastoral.' The volume containing these poems is extremely rare and was unknown to Buchan. Perhaps the only existing copy is in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow. It has not much value as literature, nothing in it approaching the rapid movement and the pungent satirical thrusts of the Jacobite ballad, 'Whirry Whigs, Awa' Man,' and nothing suggestive of the romantic tenderness, the cheerful and resolute self-dependence, and the lyrical grace of 'Logie o' Buchan.' Halket is credited with both of these poems, but there is a total lack of evidence on the point. As, however, there is no one else of the period to whom they can be assigned, it is just possible that they are his, and at any rate his claims are supported by a persistent tradition and the weighty surmise of Peter Buchan. Halket is quite likely to have written 'A Dialogue between the Devil and George II,' a perusal of which, in 1746, caused the Duke of Cumberland to offer a reward of 100l. for the author 'alive or dead.' He may also have been the author of a ballad entitled 'Schism Displayed.'
[Peter Buchan's Gleanings, as above; William Walker's Bards of Bon-Accord.]
HALKETT, Lady ANNE or ANNA (1622–1699), royalist and writer on religious subjects, born in London 4 Jan. 1622, was the younger daughter of Thomas Murray, a cadet of the Tullibardine family, who had been appointed by James I tutor to his son Charles, and subsequently was provost of Eton College. Her mother was Jane Drummond, related to the noble family of Perth, who, after acting as sub-governess to the Duke of Gloucester and the Princess Elizabeth during the absence of the Countess of Roxburgh, succeeded on the death of the countess to her office. Anne lost her father when she was only three years old, and was carefully educated by her mother. She and her sister Jane were sent to masters to be instructed in French, dancing, and playing on the lute and virginals, and a gentlewoman was kept for instructing them in needlework. Special importance was also attached to her religious instruction, and in her early years she was seldom or never absent 'from divine service at five o'clock in the morning in summer, and six o'clock in the winter' (Autobiography p. 3). In order to help the poor she studied physic and surgery with such success that patients sought her from all parts of England and Scotland as well as from the continent. In 1644 her affections became engaged to Thomas Howard, eldest son of Edward, lord Howard. Her mother forbade the match on account of the small fortune of the lovers. She would not marry in defiance of her mother, but promised to marry no one else. She asked her relative, Sir Patrick Drum-
