BLAIR

blair, robert (1699-1746), scottish poet, eldest son of the rev. robert blair, one of the king's chaplains, was born at edinburgh in 1699. he was educated at edinburgh university and in holland, and in 1731 was appointed to the living of athelstaneford in east lothian. he married in 1738 isabella, daughter of professor william law. the possession of a small fortune gave him leisure for his favourite pursuits, gardening and the study of english poets. he died at athelstaneford on the 4th of february 1746. his only considerable work, _the grave_ (1743), is a poem written in blank verse of great vigour and freshness, and is much less conventional than its gloomy subject might lead one to expect. its religious subject no doubt contributed to its great popularity, especially in scotland; but the vogue it attained was justified by its picturesque imagery and occasional felicity of expression. it inspired william blake to undertake a series of twelve illustrative designs, which were engraved by louis schiavonetti, and published in 1808. see the biographical introduction prefixed to his _poetical works_, by dr robert anderson, in his _poets of great britain_, vol. viii. (1794.) blair atholl (gaelic _blair_, "a plain"), a village and parish of perthshire, scotland, 35-1/4 m. n.w. of perth by the highland railway. pop. (1901) 367; of parish, 1722. it is situated at the confluence of the tilt and the garry. the oldest part of blair castle, a seat of the duke of atholl, dates from 1269; as restored and enlarged in 1869-1872 from the plans of david bryce, r.s.a., it is a magnificent example of the scottish baronial style. it was occupied by the marquess of montrose prior to the battle of tippermuir in 1644, stormed by the cromwellians in 1653, and garrisoned on behalf of james ii. in 1689. the young pretender stayed in it in 1743, and the duke of cumberland in 1746. the body of viscount dundee, conveyed hither from the battlefield of killiecrankie, was buried in the church of old blair, in which a monument was erected to his memory in 1889 by the 7th duke of atholl. the grounds surrounding the castle are among the most beautiful in the highlands. a golf course has been laid down south-east of the village, between the railway and the garry, and every september a great display of highland games is held. ben-y-gloe (3671 ft. high), the scene of the hunt given in 1529 by the earl of atholl in honour of james v. and the queen dowager, may be climbed by way of fender burn, a left-hand tributary of the tilt. the falls of fender, near the old bridge of tilt, are eclipsed by the falls of bruar, 4 m. west of blair atholl, formed by the bruar, which, rising in ben dearg (3304 ft.), flows into the garry after an impetuous course of 10 m.