From such There were men of literature in Edinburgh before she was renowned for romances, reviews, and magazines "Vixerunt fortes ante Agamemnona ;" and a single glance at the authors and men of science who dignified · the last generation, will serve to show that, in those days, there were giants in the North. The names of Hume, Robertson, Fergusson, stand high in the list of British historians. Adam Smith was the father of the economical system in Britain, and his standard work will long continue the text-book of that science. Dr Black, a loud ca as a chemist, opened that path of discovery which has since been prosecuted with such splendid success. Of metaphysicians, Scotland boasted, perhaps, but too many: to Hume and Fergusson we must add Reid, and, though younger, yet of the same school, Mr Dugald Stewart. In natural philosophy, Scotland could present Professor Robison, James Watt whose inventions have led the way to the triumphs of human skill over the elements, and Clerk, of Eldin, who taught the Bristish seaman the road to assured conquest. Others we could mention; but these form a phalanx, whose reputation was neither confined to their narrow, poor, and rugged native country, nor to England and the British dominions, but known and respected wherever learning, philosophy, and science were honoured. It is to this distinguished circle, or, at least, to the greater part of its members, that Mr Mackenzie introduces his readers; and they must indeed be void of curiosity who do not desire to know something more of such men than can be found in their works, and especially when the communication is made by a contemporary so well entitled to ask, and so well qualified to command, attention. We will endeavour, in the first place, to give some account of Mr Home's life and times, as we find them detailed by this excellent biographer, and afterwards more briefly advert to his character as an author. Mr John Home was the son of Mr Alexander Home, town-clerk of Leith. His grandfather was a son of Mr Home, of Floss, a lineal descendant of Sir James Home, of Coldingknowes, ancestor of the present Earl of Home, The poet, as is natural to a man of imagination, was tenacious of being descended from a family of rank, whose representatives were formerly possessed of power scarcely inferior to that of the great Douglasses, and wellnigh as fatal both to the crown and to themselves. We have seen a copy of verses addressed by Home to Lady Kinloch, of Gilmerton, in which he contrasts his actual situation with his ancient descent. They begin nearly thus, for it must be noticed we quote from memory: "Sprung from the ancient nobles of the land, birth and spirit placed above a situation of dependence to which for the time he was condemned. The same family pride glances out in our author's History of the Rebellion of 1745, in the following passage: "At Dunbar the Earl of Home joined Sir John Cope. He was then an officer in the Guards, and thought it a duty to offer his service, when the king's troops were in the field. He came to Dunbar, attended by one or two servants. There were not wanting persons upou this occasion to make their remarks, and observe the mighty change which little more than a century had, produced in Scotland. "It was known to every body, who knew any thing of the history of their country, the t the ancestors of this noble lord (once the most powerful peers in the south of Scotland) could, at a short warning, have raised in their own territories a body of men, whose approach that Highland army, which had got possession of the capital of Scotland (and was preparing to fight the whole military force in that kingdom) would not have dared to wait, "— Vol. 1.1. pp. 76, 77. This love or pride of family was the source of another peculiarity in Mr Home. Aristotle mentions the mispronouncing of a man's name as one of the most disagreeable of insults; and nobody, we believe, is very fond of having his name mispelled; but Home was peculiarly sensible on this point. The word is uniformly, in Scotland, pronounced Hume, and in ancient documents we have seen it written Heume, Hewme, and Hoome; but, the principal branch of the family have long used the present orthography of Home. To Home the poet rigidly stuck fast and firm; and Home he on all occasions defended as the only legitimate shape, to the great entertainment of his friend David (the historian), whose branch of the family (that of Ninewells) had for some, or for no reason, preferred the orthography of Hume, to which the philosopher, though caring, as may be supposed, very little about the matter, naturally adhered. On one occasion, when the poet was 'high in assertion on this important subject, the historian proposed to settle the question by casting dice which should adopt the other's mode of spelling their name: “Nay,' says John, “this is a most extraordinary proposal indeed, Mr Philosopher-for if you lose, you take your own name, and if I lose, I take another man's name "--Vol. i. P. 164. Before we leave this subject, we may mention to our readers, that the family pride which is often among the Scotch found descending to those who are in such humble situations as to render it ridiculous, has, perhaps, more of worldly prudence in it, than might at first be suspected. A Clifford, or a Percy, reduced in circumstances, feels a claim of long descent unsuitable to his condition, unavailing in assisting his views in life, and ridiculous as contrasted with them. He therefore sinks, and endeavours to forget, pretensions which his son or grandson altogether loses sight of. On the contrary, the system of entails in Scotland, their extent, and their perpetual endurance, naturally recommend to a Home, or a Douglas, to preserve an ac There were men of literature in Edinburgh before she was renowned for romances, reviews, and magazines— "Vixerunt fortes ante Agamemnona ;" and a single glance at the authors and men of science who dignified • the last generation, will serve to show that, in those days, there were giants in the North. The names of Hume, Robertson, Fergusson, stand high in the list of British historians. Adam Smith was the father of the economical system in Britain, and his standard work will long continue the text-book of that science. Dr Black, as a chemist, opened that path of discovery which has since been prosecuted with such splendid success. Of metaphysicians, Scotland boasted, perhaps, but too many to Hume and Fergusson we must add Reid, and, though younger, yet of the same school, Mr Dugald Stewart. In natural philosophy, Scotland could present Professor Robison, James Watt whose inventions have led the way to the triumphs of human skill over the elements, and Clerk, of Eldin, who taught the Bristish seaman the road to assured conquest. Others we could mention; but these form a phalanx, whose reputation was neither confined to their narrow, poor, and rugged native country, nor to England and the British dominions, but known and respected wherever learning, philosophy, and science were honoured, It is to this distinguished circle, or, at least, to the greater part of its members, that Mr Mackenzie introduces his readers; and they must indeed be void of curiosity who do not desire to know something more of such men than can be found in their works, and especially when the communication is made by a contemporary so well entitled to ask, and so well qualified to command, attention. We will endeavour, in the first place, to give some account of Mr Home's life and times, as we find them detailed by this excellent biographer, and afterwards more briefly advert to his character as an author. Mr John Home was the son of Mr Alexander Home, town-clerk of Leith. His grandfather was a son of Mr Home, of Floss, a lineal descendant of Sir James Home, of Coldingknowes, ancestor of the present Earl of Home, The poet, as is natural to a man of imagination, was tenacious of being descended from a family of rank, whose representatives were formerly possessed of power scarcely inferior to that of the great Douglasses, and wellnigh as fatal both to the crown and to themselves. We have seen a copy of verses addressed by Home to Lady Kinloch, of Gilmerton, in which he contrasts his actual situation with his ancient descent. They begin nearly thus, for it must be noticed we quote from memory; Sprung from the ancient nobles of the land, birth and spirit placed, above a situation of dependence to which for the time he was condemned. The same family pride glances out in our author's History of the Rebellion of 1745, in the following passage: "At Dunbar the Earl of Home joined Sir John Cope. He was then an officer in the Guards, and thought it a duty to offer his service, when the king's troops were in the field. He came to Dunbar, attended by one or two servants There were not wanting persons upou this occasion to make their remarks, and observe the mighty change which little more than a century had. produced in Scotland. "It was known to every body, who knew any thing of the history of their country, that the ancestors of this noble lord (once the most powerful peers in the south of Scotland) could, at a short warning, have raised in their own territories a body of men, whose approach that lighland army, which had got possession of the capital of Scotland (and was preparing to fight the whole military force in that kingdom) would not have dared to wait, "-- Vol. 1.1. pp. 76, 77. " This love or pride of family was the source of another peculiarity in Mr Home. Aristotle mentions the mispronouncing of a man's name as one of the most disagreeable of insults; and nobody, we believe, is very fond of having his name mispelled; but Home was peculiarly sensible on this point. The word is uniformly, in Scotland, pronounced Hume, and in ancient documents we have seen it written Heume, Hewme, and Hoome; but, the principal branch of the family have long used the present orthography of Home. To Home the poet rigidly stuck fast and firm; and Home he on all occasions defended as the only legitimate shape, to the great entertainment of his friend David (the historian), whose branch of the family (that of Ninewells) had for some, or for no reason, preferred the orthography of Hume, to which the philosopher, though caring, as may be supposed, very little about the matter, naturally adhered. On one occasion, when the poet was 'high in assertion on this important subject, the historian proposed to settle the question by casting dice which should adopt the other's mode of spelling their name: "Nay,' says John, “this is a most extraordinary proposal indeed, Mr Philosopher-for if you lose, you take your own name, and if I lose, I take another man's name. "--Vol. i. P. 164. Before we leave this subject, we may mention to our readers, that the family pride which is often among the Scotch found descending to those who are in such humble situations as to render it ridiculous, has, perhaps, more of worldly prudence in it, than might at first be suspected. A Clifford, or a Percy, reduced in circumstances, feels a claim of long descent unsuitable to his condition, unavailing in assisting his views in life, and ridiculous as contrasted with them. He therefore sinks, and endeavours to forget, pretensions which his son or grandson altogether loses sight of. On the contrary, the system of entails in Scotland, their extent, and their perpetual endurance, naturally recommend to a Home, or a Douglas, to preserve an ac-. make him heir of tailzie to a good estate. And while this attention to pedigree may conduce to some contingent advantage, it influences naturally the feelings of the young Hidalgos upon whom it is inculcated, and who soon learn to prize the genus et proavos, as being flattering to their vanity, as well as what may, by possibility, tend to advance their fortune. A certain number of calculable chances would have made the author of Douglas the Earl of Home; and, indeed, an epidemic among the Scottish peerage (which Heaven forefend!) would make wild changes when the great roll is next called in Holyrood. Like every thing, in short, in this motley world, the family pride of the north country has its effects of good and of evil. It often leads to a degree of care being bestowed on the education of these juvenile gentillatres, which might otherwise have been neglected; and forms, at the same time, an excitement to honourable struggles for independence and to manly resolutions of adopting the behaviour and sentiments of men of honour, though fortune has denied the means of supporting the figure of gentlemen otherwise. On the other hand, and with less happy dispositions, it sometimes occasions an incongruous alliance of pride and poverty, and exhibits the national character in a point of view equally arrogant and ridiculous. To return to our subject:-John Home, educated for the Scots Presbyterian church, soon distinguished himself among his contemporaries at college, and ranked with Robertson, Hugh Blair, Adam Fergusson, who attended the same seminary, and others mentioned by Mr Mackenzie, distinguished by their sense, learning, and talents, although they did not attain, or contend for, literary celebrity. Our author obtained his license to preach the gospel, as a probationer for the ministry (which is equivalent to taking deacon's orders in England), in the eventful year, still emphatically distinguished in Scotland as the FORTY-FIVE. The character of the times, however, furnished our young poet with employment more congenial to his temper than the peaceful and retired duties of the profession he had chosen. "The land was burning;" the young Chevalier had landed in the Highlands, with only seven followers, and came to try a desperate cast for the crown which his ancestors had lost. The character of Home at this period is thus described by his elegant biographer: or "His temper was of that warm susceptible kind which is caught with the heroic and the tender, and which is more fitted to delight in the world of sentiment than to succeed in the bustle of ordinary life. This is a disposition of mind well suited to the poetical character and, accordingly, all his earliest companions agree that Mr Home was from his childhood delighted with the lofty and heroic ideas which embody themselves in the description narrative of poetry. One of them, nearly a coeval of Mr Home's, Dr A. Fergusson, says, in a letter to me, that Mr Home's favourite model of a character, on which, indeed, his own was formed, was that of young Norval, in his tragedy of Douglas, one endowed with chivalrous and romantic generosity, eager for glory beyond every other object, and, in the con templation of future fame, entirely regardless of the present objects of interest or ambition." -Vol. i. pp. 6, 7. |