Ainslie, Bellini, Bondacca, Borgia,’ &c., Leipsic, 1796. Sir Robert had been the ‘Mæcenas’ of Sestini's dedication of the ‘Lettere e Dissertazioni’ of 1789; seven years later, in the preface to the ‘Descriptio,’ he was a malignant speculator and trader in antiquities.
Sir Robert Ainslie's researches embraced antiquities of various kinds, objects of natural history, and illustrations of the East and its current life. Three volumes of drawings were published, in the words of the dedication, ‘under his auspices.’ The first of these is entitled ‘Views in Egypt, from the original drawings in possession of Sir Robert Ainslie, taken during his Embassy to Constantinople by Luigi Mayer; engraved by and under the direction of Thomas Milton; with historical Observations and incidental Illustrations of the Manners and Customs of the Natives of that Country,’ eleph. fol. London, 1801. This was followed by two bilingual volumes, English and French, entitled ‘Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly in Caramania,’ &c., 1803; and ‘Views in Palestine,’ &c., 1804. The coloured plates in these volumes are ninety-six in number; and fifty-four were afterwards given in the first edition, and seventy-one in the second edition, of ‘Views in Turkey in Europe and Turkey in Asia,’ &c., London, 1810. A selection from all these appeared in 1833 as a group of engravings, uncoloured and of smaller size, with the title of ‘A Series of Twenty-four Views illustrative of the Holy Scriptures,’ &c.
[Debrett's Baronetage of England, 1808; Lodge's Genealogy of the Peerage and Baronetage, 1859; the London Gazette, 1775, 1804, &c.; Gentleman's Magazine, Aug. 1812, &c.; Annual Register, 1798, &c.; Biog. Dict. Soc. D. U. K.; Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual, 1864.]
AINSLIE, ROBERT (1766–1838), correspondent of Robert Burns, the poet, was born 13 Jan. 1766, at Berrywell, near Dunse, where his father was factor to Lord Douglas. While apprenticed to a writer to the signet in Edinburgh, young Ainslie in 1787 formed the acquaintance of Burns, and in May of the same year he made an excursion with the poet in Teviotdale and Berwickshire. Burns stayed some days at Berrywell. A sister of Ainslie, whom Burns met on this occasion, was the subject of the impromptu beginning with ‘Fair maid.’ Ainslie passed writer to the signet in 1789. He became an elder in the Church of Scotland, and was the author of two small religious works, ‘A Father's Gift to his Children,’ and ‘Reasons for the Hope that is in us.’ He also contributed to the ‘Edinburgh Magazine’ and other periodicals. His intimacy with Burns, and his genial manners, secured him a cordial welcome in the literary circles of Edinburgh. Hogg, who speaks of him as ‘honest Ainslie,’ mentions, as his one failing, constitutional sleepiness, the irresistibility of which Hogg, with characteristic egotism, illustrates by stating that he has ‘seen him fall fast asleep in the blue parlour at Ambrose's, with North in the chair and myself croupier.’ Fourteen letters of Burns to Ainslie are included in the poet's correspondence. According to W. S. Douglas (Works of Burns, ii. 188), the ballad, ‘Robin shure in Hairst,’ refers to a juvenile amour of Ainslie. Ainslie presented Sir Walter Scott with a manuscript copy of ‘Tam o' Shanter,’ which he had received from Burns at Ellisland. He died 11 April, 1838.
[Works of Burns, especially the editions of Cunningham, Chambers, P. H. Waddel, and W. S. Douglas.]
AINSLIE, WHITELAW (fl. 1788–1835), surgeon and writer on materia medica, was nominated assistant surgeon in the East India Company's service on 17 June 1788, and on his arrival in India was appointed garrison surgeon of Chingleput. On 17 Oct. 1794 he was promoted to the grade of surgeon, having been two years previously transferred to Ganjam. In 1810 he was appointed superintending surgeon, the court of directors having approved his motives in drawing up a scheme to improve the health of the troops in India, whilst rejecting the plan proposed. He was named superintending surgeon of the southern division of the army (Madras) in 1814, and two years later the sum of six hundred guineas was awarded to him as a mark of the estimation in which his services were held by the court of directors. In 1815 he resigned, having served twenty-seven years apparently without any furlough, and returned to England in the autumn of that year. During his residence in India he seems to have published the joint report mentioned below, a ‘Treatise upon Edible Vegetables,’ and the ‘Materia Medica of Hindostan.’ After his return he occupied himself by launching out into different branches of literature, as shown by the appended list of works. In 1835 he refers to himself as being in the ‘vale of years,’ the book being dedicated to his wife.
He published the following works:
- ‘Materia Medica of Hindostan,’ Madras, 1813, 4to.
- ‘Materia Indica; or Some Account of those Articles which are employed by the Hindoos and other Eastern Nations in their
