monious when the great ends of life depended on his own exertions, yet he had no inclination to use, like a mere worldling, the means which were in his hands, and to amass a fortune. He shewed a willing obedience to the taste of the times, living with his family in the manner adopted by the most genteel circles then in Edinburgh, and entertaining his friends in an elegant and hospitable manner. Among his arrangements there appears the utmost consistency. He must have been induced to act in the manner which has been shewn, from a motive similar to that which led him, from the earliest known period of his life, to contemn all secular considerations, when they interfered with his principle of duty. In this view, he never went into fashionable expenses, until he had secured the means for defraying them honourably; and he was thus secured from adopting any mean or time-serving shift. On the other hand, he never hesitated to act against all the ob

structions which lay before him; for he felt convinced, that though he might offend the world, and injure his immediate interest, yet he secured peace with himself, by acting in conformity to those convictions which, in his mind, were immutable. He was accustomed to point out to his scholars the folly of those persons who thirsted after wealth and preferment, and who sacrificed health, friendship, and every thing, to gain these objects. "They come home," he used to say, "from the East Indies, after having made a fortune, no matter how; and then they support every public measure, good or bad, which their friends may propose, and do all manner of ridiculous things." The teacher who addresses his pupils in such a manner, may be thought to speak of matters above the comprehension of young minds, and of which it is too soon for them to think; but he cannot fail to attach to himself their best affections, and, when he pleases, to lead them to their tasks in the true spirit of study.

Nicol,

A female relation of a family, in whose welfare Dr Adam was interested at an early period of his life, had fallen into misfortunes, and was on the eve of leaving Scotland to settle in America. The Doctor, having discovered this distressful circumstance, took the opportunity of remitting L. 100 to the unfortunate person, at a time when he thought pecuniary assistance would be most serviceable. His conduct upon a very trying occasion was most honourable and characteristic. one of the masters who signed the representation in favour of Ruddiman's grammar, always shewed, in a brutal and unmanly manner, the most decided antipathy to the Rector. One day they accidentally met upon the street, and, after using his fists in taking summary vengeance, Nicol aimed a blow at Dr Adam, which felled him to the ground, Nicol was by no means a respectable member of society, and his behaviour had often excited contemptuous notice; but from Dr Adam he had rea

son to expect proofs of violent indignation, and had fully incurred immediate dismissal from his office. Dr Adam, however, was not so passionate as to demand any hasty retribution. As he felt for the wife and family of the man by whom he had been abused, he offered, before any overture had been made by the offending party, to pass from all legal measures, upon condition that Nicol would acknowledge his errour. This was not the extent of his clemency; for no other steps were taken, though Nicol never made any recantation.

That the lives and actions of literary men form but a sorry comment upon their writings, is an assertion which has been too confidently advanced. Though disagreeable realities may in certain instances eventually confirm such a remark, yet it should be cautiously made, and ought never to be brought forward in the shape of a general rule. It is for the honour and interest of human nature that this should be the case. And it can never happen, so

long as there exist even a few men who have any anxiety to imitate those traits of Dr Adam's character which have already been brought into view. His works exhibit no stretch of genius, nor are they remarkable for an elevated tone of morality. In his private life, however, he evinced, by practice, his familiarity with those exalted sentiments which many of his literary contemporaries were fond of retailing among themselves, and to the world, but which, they seemed to be convinced, were too clumsy, or else too fine, for common use.

After the publication of those works which have been mentioned, the character of our authour as an enlightened teacher, capable of illustrating, by his copious erudition, every topic which came within his sphere, was established beyond a doubt, Even those who had misconceived his character and abilities, from the prejudiced and partial statements which they had heard of his conduct with regard to the introduction of his grammar, now

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