The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-07-06 00:00:00

THE AYRSHIRE HERMIT.

(From the Scotsman.)
Thomas Reyburn; the eccentric individual distingushed by
this title, is well known in the west of Scotland, and many in
this city are, no doubt, aware of his character and history.
He is laird of Holmhead (a few acres of land and a cottage
so called) delightfully situate on the banks of the Irvine, not
far from 'Kilmarnock. This pleasant little possession he in-
herited from' his grandfather. Shortly after his succession,
he was involved „in,a lawsuit, with a neighbouring proprietor,
respecting a"by-road, of which the latter claimed the privi-
lege, through the property- of Holmhead. Believing himself
to,have been deeply wronged in the decision of his cause, and
excited by the heavy amount of expenses to which he was sub-
jected, he viswed-lieither to shave his beard nor crop his hair,
nor chamie.th-e4ress he then wore, until justice should be ob-
tained. according to his view, has never been awarded
to him; and throughout the lapse of 20 years he has religiously
adhered to his resolution.

His grotesque appearance in consequence may be imagined.
From under a small antique•looking hat, his long matted
hair hangs down over his left shoulder, almost reaching to his
middle ; while the ample breadth of his breast is nearly co-
vered by his bushy beard. His habilaments are the most
unique imaginable; and it is questionable whet her, amid the
patching to which 20 years' service has subjected them, any
portion of the original colour or vestment now remains. In
addition to this, imagine a tall muscular figure, a well-formed
manly countenance, and some idea may be pictured of the
recluse.

His cottage has of late years becomean object of attraction
to strangers visiting that part of the country, especially in
the summer months, when his garden is in bloom or ripened
into fruit. In his solitude, he amuses himself in rearing
birds; and he may frequently be found seated under a tree
with his feathered favourites hopping about on the branches,
so tame that they readily "come at his call," some of them
even alighted on his beard to be fed from his mouth..
~
We notice this singular character at present, i❑ order to
express our astonishment at observing him the other night in
Princes-street. lie had just arrived by the Ayr coach,•with
the intention, as we understood, of proceeding next day to
London to witness the coronation of the QUeen. What could
stimulate the hermit, now well advanced years, to think of. a
journey so full of peril to a person of his description,*ithout.
friend or introduction, is a question more likely to be sug-
gested than easily solved; but the doubtful prospect of the
undertaking seems at last to have seriously occurred to the
individual himself, for, on learning the vast numbers ex-
pected to crowd the steam-vessels, he yielded to judicious ad-
vice, and prudently abandoning the prosecution, of his
journey, has already, we understand, returned to the west
country.
It is amusing to conjecture what strange adventures might
have befallen him in the great metropolis, *here his Crusoe-
like appearance could not have failed to excite the utmost
curiosity. A Parnellian sage in the estimation of some;
•otbers might have deemed him the ghost of ,Sir William.
Courtenay; and continement*s a lunatic is not among the
most unlikely treatment to which one who deviates so far
-from the usual dress and modes of society would have been
subjected.

His chief object, we believe, was to gain an audience of
the Queen—by what means he bad projtably never conjec-
tured—to present to her Majesty a relic of the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, which has been in his possession for the
last 40 years, ;AS an 'appropriate offering, expressive of his
hope that the reign of Victoria mightbe long and prosperous,
like "the golden days of Queen !less." He had at the same
time a grievance with which to acquaint her Majesty. It ap-
pears that, some few months since, he was made the victim
of an excise prosecution; and, ignorant of the forms of law
in such cases, although served with what be afterwards un-
derstood to be a summons, he allowed judgment to be re-
corded against him unheard. The result was, he had to pay
a penalty of £25. This last instance, and he reckons many,
of what he considers the law's injustice, has tended greatly
to strengthen his vow, and confirm hint in his misanthrophy.