296
jealousies in the race, but each might be seen in turn
helping forward the other, and a more interesting
sight than this cannot readily be conceived. The
letters of Mr. Hume to Dr. Robertson are full of
amiable feeling, and of that light, cheerful raillery,
in which the historian of England so much delighted
to indulge, and which contrasted so pleasingly with
the gravity and dignity of his writings. "Next
week," he says, in one of these letters, "I am pub-
lished, and then I expect a constant comparison will
be made between Dr. Robertson and Mr. Hume.
I shall tell you in a few weeks which of these heroes
is likely to prevail. Meanwhile, I can inform both
of them for their comforts, that their combat is not
likely to make half so much noise as that between
Broughton and the one-eyed coachman."
Dr. Robertson in person was rather above the
middle size, with an apparently ordinary degree of
physical strength. His eye was intelligent, and his
features regular and manly. "He appeared," says
his biographer, "to greatest advantage in his com-
plete clerical dress, and was more remarkable for
gravity and dignity in discharging the functions of
his public stations, than for ease or grace in private
society." His moral character was unimpeachable.
His manners were mild and conciliating, and all his
dispositions amiable. "He was," says Dr. Erskine,
"temperate, without austerity; condescending and
affable, without meanness; and in expense, neither
sordid nor prodigal. He could feel an injury, yet
bridle his passion; was grave, not sullen; steady,
not obstinate; friendly, not officious; prudent and
cautious, not timid."
He left behind him three sons and two daughters.
The eldest son adopted the profession of the law,
and passed through its highest honours. His two
younger sons entered the army. His elder daughter
was married to Mr. Brydone, author of the Tour in
Sicily and Malta; the youngest, to John Russell,
Esq., clerk to the signet. His two younger sons
rose to high rank in the army, and the elder of the
two especially distinguished himself in India under
Lord Cornwallis.1
In the year 1781 Dr. Robertson was elected one
of the foreign members of the Academy of Sciences
at Padua, and in 1783 one of the foreign members
of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. Peters-
burg. The Empress Catherine was so much de-
lighted with his works, that she presented him,
through Dr. Rogerson, with a handsome gold enam-
elled snuff-box, richly set with diamonds. He was
the founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and
exerted himself with his usual zeal, not only in form-
ing the plan of that institution, but in carrying it on
after it was established.
ROBISON, DR. JOHN, an eminent mechanical
philosopher, and professor of natural philosophy in
the university of Edinburgh, was the son of John
Robison, a merchant in Glasgow, and was born there
in the year I739.a The first part of his education he
received at the grammar-school of Glasgow, whence
he entered as a student of the university of Glasgow
so early as the year 1750, and took the degree of
1 It may further be mentioned, that his niece, Miss Eleanor
Syme, the daughter of one of his sisters, was the mother of one
of the greatest men of the passing age, Lord Brougham, who
wrote the life of his uncle above alluded to; and that Mr.
Brydone's eldest daughter having married the late Earl of Minto.
their second daughter became the wife of Lord John (now Earl)
Russell, the eminent constitutional statesman, whose name
stands honourably associated with all the great political reforms
of the present day.
8 Memoir by Professor Playfair: Trans. Royal Society,
Edinburgh, vii. 495.
Master of Arts in 1756. What progress he made in
his early studies is not known, and in after-life he
used to speak lightly of his early proficiency, and
accuse himself of want of application. In the year
following his graduation he made a proposal to be
appointed assistant to Mr. Dick, professor of natural
philosophy, in place of the son of that gentleman, who
had just died; but was considered too young for the
important duty. At that time his friends had wished
him to study for the church; but preferring some em-
ployment in which his mechanical pursuits might be
indulged, he turned his eyes towards London. Profes-
sor Dick and Dr. Simson sent along with him recom-
mendations to Dr. Blair, prebendary of Westminster,
who might have had influence to procure for him
the situation of tutor in mathematics and navigation
to the Duke of York, younger son of Frederick
Prince of Wales, whom there was then some inten-
tion of educating for the navy. The plan was given
up, and Robison received a severe disappointment,
but the event served as his introduction to an excellent
friend, Admiral Knowles, a gentleman whose son
was to have attended the duke on his voyage. Young
Mr. Knowles' nautical education was not to be given
up with that of the duke; and his father, perceiving
Robison's knowledge of mechanical philosophy,
employed him to take charge of the instruction of
his son while at sea. Mr. Robison sailed from
Spithead in 1759 with the fleet which assisted the
land forces in the taking of Quebec. His pupil was
a midshipman in the admiral's ship, in which he
was himself rated of the same rank. Two years of
such active service as followed this expedition en-
abled Robison to make many observations, and
collect a fund of practical knowledge, while he was
sometimes usefully employed in making surveys.
On his return on the 3d of August, he was a sufferer
from the sea-scurvy, which had disabled the greater
part of the crew. At this time Mr. Robison seems
to have had a surfeit of a sailor's life, one which,
however pleasing for a limited time, as serving to
exemplify his favourite studies, possessed perhaps
few charms as a profession to a man of studious
habits. He intended to resume the discarded study
of theology; but an invitation from Admiral Knowles
to live with him in the country, and assist in his
experiments, prevailed. "What these experiments
were," says Mr. Robison's biographer, "is not men-
tioned; but they probably related to ship-building,
a subject which the admiral had studied with great
attention." He had not been thus situated many
months when his young friend and pupil Lieutenant
Knowles was appointed to the command of the
Peregrine sloop of war of 20 guns, and probably from
a passion for the sea recurring, after recovery from
his disorder, and a residence in the country, Robison
accompanied him. At this period his ambition
seems to have been limited to the situation of purser
to his friend's vessel. On his return from a voyage,
during which he visited Lisbon before the traces of
the great earthquake had been effaced, he again took
up his residence with Admiral Knowles. By his
patron he was soon afterwards recommended to Lord
Anson, then first lord of the admiralty, who con-
ceived him a fit person to take charge of the chron-
ometer constructed, after many years of patient
labour, by Mr. Harrison, on a trial voyage to the
West Indies, in which its accuracy was to be tried,
at the suggestion of the Board of Longitude. On
the return, which was hastened by the dread of a
Spanish invasion of St. Domingo, Mr. Robison
suffered all the hardships of the most adventurous
voyage, from the rudder being broken in a gale of
wind, to the ship's catching fire, and being with diffi.-