Findlater and Seafield, James Ogilvy, 7th and 4th Earl of

(1750 - 1811), o. surv. s. of 6th E. of Findlater and 3rd E. of Seafield [S]; Ch.Ch. Oxf. 1769; sty. Ld. Deskford 1764 - 70 when suc. fa. as 7th and 4th E.; m. 1779, in Brussels, Christina Murray.

1771 - 3 [Lyons Sep. 1771] Turin (19 Sep.), Milan, Parma, Modena, Bologna (29 Sep.), Florence (by 12 Oct. - 6 Nov.), Rome (10 Nov. - Dec.), Capua (2 Dec.), Naples (12 Dec. 1771 - ), Capua (6 Jan. 1772), Rome (13 Feb. - 18 May), Capua (13? May), Naples (23 May - 20 Jun.), Rome (21 Jul. - ), Florence (6 - 16 Aug.), Leghorn, Genoa (26 Sep. - 4 Oct.), Milan (10 Oct.), Venice (27 Oct. - ), Rome (30 Nov. 1772 - 15 Jan. 1773), Capua (21 Jan.), Naples (28 Jan. - 24 Mar.), Rome (by 1 Apr.), Florence (by 10 Apr.), Bologna (24 Apr.), Milan (30 Apr.), Turin (15 May) [Geneva 26 May]

After leaving Oxford and succeeding his father in 1770, Findlater lived largely on the Continent, where he cut a modest figure. Horace Walpole was 'woebegone' to encounter him in Paris in 1771, 'starched as an old-fashioned plaited neckcloth',1 and the Bishop of Derry found him 'a strange animal'.2 Findlater's letters to his mother describe his wanderings in Italy in 1771 - 3 (Findlater letters MSS; dates cited in brackets) and there are additional letters to his Scottish agent John Ross.3

Findlater travelled initially with the antiquary Colin Morison (his father's protege) who, he said, would stay with him until November 1771 for a fee of £;600 to make up for his absence from Rome (6 Aug. 1771). Findlater came to Turin from Lyons in September 1771 and proceeded via Milan, Parma and Modena to Bologna where he arrived on 29 September. He spent some six weeks in Florence before reaching Rome on 10 November. In Rome he wrote of plans to get 'Mr [Gavin] Hamilton' to paint a companion to 'the Picture of the Vestal Virgin at Cullen', and of his own progress ('I speak Italian tolerably and find great pleasure in applying myself to it'; to Ross, 24 Nov. 1771). In December he went to Naples, passing through Capua on 2 December.4 Naples he found 'dirty & mean both as to Streets & Buildings, but the Situation & Climate most charming'; he had become 'exceedingly intimate' with 'a sett of very amiable English', the Italians were 'the most miserable Creatures imaginable'; 'to sum up my Travels I know of no Town worth living in but Paris, or going to see but Rome' (to Ross, 27 Dec. 1771).

He was back in Rome in February 1772 when Gavin Hamilton was painting a Muse for Cullen (Old Cullen in 1975). But again Findlater wrote of his disappointment with the Italian people: though he liked 'the contry of Italy very much, even tho it fall much short of my Idea of it', he hated 'the Italians in general & particularly at Rome' but, as at Naples, there were 'some very agreeable English' who, with Cardinal de Bernis, made amends (12 May 1772). On 23 May he arrived back in Naples with Norton Nicholls ('Milord Conte de Findlater con Mr Nicolls' were listed at Capua on 13 May,4 though Findlater's letters suggest he was still in Rome on the 18th). Nicholls was a parson who found Findlater's style hard to match; he borrowed 10 guineas from his Lordship and told his mother of the 'great inconvenience of living with a Lord' because he suffered 'for the impositions he undergoes'.5

Findlater returned to Rome on 21 July, but just before he left Naples he told Ross that he had tried to get for him 'a Cameo or two' in Rome, 'but there are so many purchasers it is very difficult to meet with good ones'; he had, however, spoken with Morison and Byres, the latter 'a most surprising Man for Taste Worth Modesty & Knowledge' (4 Jul. 1772). He was in Florence early in August and on 26 September he arrived in Genoa by felucca (presumably from Leghorn). In October he visited Milan and Venice,6 again with Nicholls (who borrowed a further £;30).7

By the end of November he was back in Rome, where there were 'English in abundance'. He stayed until mid-January 1773 and then went to Naples where he arrived on 28 January (he was listed at Capua on both 6 and 21 January4 though he wrote from Rome on the 15th). He stayed until the end of March when he returned to Rome with William Preston, 'a worthy sensible man', as his travelling companion. They planned to return to England together and were reported in Florence on 10 April.8 Findlater's letters show he then travelled north through Bologna, Milan and Turin, to reach Geneva on 26 May 1773. Two and a half years later he wrote his last grand tour letter from The Hague.

1. Wal.Corr., 35:124. 2. Fothergill 1974, 150. 3. Seafield MSS, GD 248/800/4 (dates cited in brackets with Ross's name). 4. ASN cra 1259. 5. Black 1992, 89, 105. 6. ASV IS 759. 7. Black 1992, 105. 8. Gazz.Tosc.