Anne Carnegie, Countess of Northesk (born Anne Leslie; 27 February 1730 - 6 November 1779) was a Scottish noblewoman. She was the wife of George Carnegie, 6th Earl of Northesk, and the mother of William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk.
Anne Leslie was born in Raith, Fife, the daughter of Alexander Leslie, 5th Earl of Leven, and his second wife, the former Elizabeth Monypenny.[1] Her sister was the novelist Lady Mary Hamilton. The family's main residence was Melville House in Fife.[2]
Anne married the Earl of Northesk on 30 April 1748, and they had six children, all of whom survived their mother.
Lady Northesk was apparently suffering from tuberculosis and had been pronounced incurable by several doctors. On her way home to Scotland, she called at Lichfield, where she was treated by Erasmus Darwin.[5] Darwin considered treating her anaemia with a blood transfusion by syringe, using her friend, his neighbour Anna Seward, as a possible donor.[6] He decided against the idea, and instead prescribed a diet of milk, vegetables and fruit, in addition to rest and fresh air, which appears to have been effective.
Lady Northesk continued to correspond with Seward, and later died in Edinburgh, in a domestic accident, after accidentally setting fire to her muslin cap.[7]