innate benevolence, and of early and habitual intercourse with the most improved classes of society. They alone, in short, who have had the happiness to experience the delights of his converse, can form any just conception of its attractive pleasures, and its ameliorating virtues. But, highly as this excellent man was to be admired and loved for his engaging manners, and his intellectual endowments, these sentiments were yet more forcibly excited by the exalted qualities which dignified and embellished his moral nature: these were the precious gems that shed around his character that lustre which made him a public light: from these did all his attainments derive their sterling value; to these were all his other qualifications rendered subservient; and from their pervading influence did he acquire that secret charm, which gave him an irresistible ascendant over the affections of all who knew him. A strict probity, and an inviolable love of truth, were perhaps the most conspicuous in the assemblage of these moral graces. From these his whole con. duct derived a purity and elevation, such as could spring only from a mind in which the finest sensibilities had ever remained unhurt by the consciousness of dishonour. To transmit to his children this precious inheritance, guarded against contamination by every persuasion of precept, and every allurement of example, was a principal study of his life; and, to secure to them the permanent enjoyment of this valuable deposit, he laboured unceasingly to inculcate that which he truly deemed the foundation and the fence of every virtue, the principle of religion. Indeed, to impress this principle pon the understandings and the hearts of all to whom his tion or his writings could was to him the first duty highest glory. And it was ful to behold a man, disti in a profession in which, truly or not, religious se F the Ga has been supposed to preva Cap.se minent in the walks of phi which, in latter times, has but misled her votaries; noured in all the literary an age, whose peculiar prid been to undermine establish nions; lending the whole wei moment of his name and tabra the maintenance of genuine re and the support of christian Educated a dissenter, he steal & tained the principle of rationation sent, without descending to partizan. Solicitous upon alte b sions to make the scripture 6 of terpreter and the test of rent truth, he had imbibed from y stated perusal of the sacred vore (an exercise to which, with the offices of family devotion, the mencement and the close of Lord's day were uniformly co crated by his entire household.ee al enlightened familiarity with great vital verities which must b the foundation of the creed of ene sincere christian. His religious. nets were, therefore, reverenced te the truly good and candid of all nominations; and by some of most eminent divines and worth prelates of the established churd his correspondence and friendly tercourse were sedulously courte and his sentiments and opinions unfrequently cited and recommen ed. But neither was his a religion that could rest in speculation; it was transfused into his life, and governed all his actions; its purifying power a not only extending to his ercourse with the world, trating the retirement of and the secret recesses of view the fundamental principles of legitimate authority. To him the seductions of a fallacious freedom could present no charms. His discerning eye easily discovered the true bounding-line between liberty and licentiousness, between innovation and improvement; and he stood at all times, equally removed, and equally averse, from the debasements of despotism, and the machinations of faction. Of the christian charities his breast was peculiarly susceptible. Every resemblance to divine goodness most powerfully excited his regard; and, to the man possessed of moral worth, he felt himself irresistibly drawn, as to a brother. But whilst his benevolence emanated thus widely on all surrounding objects, its radiant "flame" (to use his own expressions) "became more warm and bright to "those which were most near, in "proportion to the diffusion of its "lustre;" and in the relations of husband, friend, and parent, all the kindly affections of his nature were kindled to their highest fer benevolence which christiaforcibly inculcates was, with less an impulse of nature, scharge of duty. Alive to generous sympathies, he ated with cordial concern in affected the interests of a creature. But, whilst his ropy was of that expansive that would, if possible, comin its embrace the whole family of the one great comrent, it was not allowed to self in vague generalities and table aspirations, but was ined, and rendered daily and productive, by the particular al exercises of its beneficence. any useful institutions in the and vicinity of Manchester, ch he was the founder, or the encourager; the readiness which his attention and his els were afforded to the diffiand the emergencies of his bours; the alacrity with which If ever man could be said to have Services of courtesy and good- lived for his children and his friends, were performed by him, towards rather than for himself, it was he. within the range of his acquain- So unceasing his attention to their and the activity of his exer- interests, so tender his anxiety for for the welfare of those to their welfare, so assiduous his enthe closer ties of intimacy deavours for their improvement, plied yet stronger claims; all that they seemed almost to have ced the disinterested ardour and mingled with his consciousness, and actical energies of his social affec- to have formed a part of his very s. In those charities which may essence. The endearments with. termed patriotic, he was exceed- which his instructions were convey(by none. His sensibility to every ed, the lenient remonstrances with fringement of the honour and the which youthful errors were reprovperties of his country, was of the ed, the tempered indulgence with veliest nature; but, whilst he which the reins of paternal authority reathed the purest sentiments of were guided, procured for him, dependence, he always held in from his children, their fondest re vour. gard "CRAY gard and most friendly confidence; of those whom it had been his at the same time that the known firmness of his rectitude, and his indignant abhorrence of every deliberate deviation from principle, inspired them with an awe, which, while it impressed upon their hearts the strongest fear of offending, served to heighten yet more the feelings of virtuous attachment and reverential love; for to his mind truth and right were dearer even than his child. And, though mildness and suavity were his characteristic features, though they may be said to have beamed in every look, and sounded in every word, yet his determinations once formed, they were as unalterable as the principles of probity and justice, on which they were invariably founded. With such a rare combination of transcendant qualities, with a character in which the most placid virtues were associated with the highest intellectual endowments, and the most inflexible integrity softened and embellished by the most conciliating accomplishments; with the fairest reputation, derived from a long and uninterrupted course of honourable and meritorious conduct; with the esteem, the love, and the veneration, not only of those immediately connected with him in the bands of amity and kindred, but of all who were the witnesses of his actions, and capable of appreciating his deserts; with the complacency of mind which accompanies the conscious ness of well-doing; and the peculiar self-gratulation arising from the contemplation of the rich fruits returned to his paternal culture, in the enlarged understandings, the regulated affections, the confirmed principles, and the amiable manners 2 great business to form to knowledge and to goodness; it seems as if such a state were too prosperous for man; and it was his lot to experience some severely afflicting providences in that quarter where his tenderest affections were engaged. But here the consolations of christian hope, and the unshaken assurances of divine goodness, were his refuge and support; and, whilst he bowed in resigned submission to that searching discipline with which it was the good pleasure of his God to exercise his faith, and with pious Job was enabled to praise and glorify that Great Being, who had both given and taken away; he turned with grateful contentment to those numerous domestic blessings, which were yet permitted him to enjoy, and which he continued, with humble thankfulness and quickened sensibility, to cherish and to improve to the last moment of his existence. Thus the severity of his trials but proved the stability of his virtue; and his probationary sorrows, by softening his devotion, and refining all his best dispositions, served only to render him a fitter recipient for the felicities of another world, and a brighter example for the edification of this. We could gladly indulge in the melancholy satisfaction arising from the detailed contemplation of excellence so diversified; but the matter is too abundant, the proposed limits too contracted, and, we may add, the pencil of the painter too feeble, for an adequate delineation. We must, therefore, take our leave of this exemplary character with this short and imperfect summary. Ile was an author without vanity, a philosopher a philosopher without pride, a scholar without pedantry, a student without seclusion, a moralist without moroseness, a patriot without faction, and a christian without guile; affable in his manners, courteous in his conversation, dig. nified in his deportment, cheerful in his temper, warm in his affections, ardent in his friendships, mild in his resentments, and unshaken in his principle. The great object of his life was usefulness, and the grand spring of all his actions was religion. -With such a singular union of estimable endowments, and with scarcely a single distinguishable failing to cast a shade on their collective splendour, who that knew him can avoid dwelling on his memory with pleasure? a pleasure indeed accompanied with sensations of the most poignant regret, yet such as compels the heart to vent itself in the exclamation his profession, the practice of the domestic virtues, and the occupa. tions of literature, however respectable such a character may be, can afford but slender materials for biography. The facts stated in the present account were communicated to the compiler of a collection of his poems in conversation with his son, Robert Blair, esq. solicitor general to his majesty for Scotland, and his cousin, the learned and amiable Dr. Blair, one of the ministers of the high church, and professor of rhetoric and belles lettres in the university of Edinburgh. Robert Blair was the eldest son of the rev. David Blair, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, and chaplain to the king. His mother was Euphemia Nisbet, daughter of Archibald Nisbet, esq. of Carfin. His grandfather was the rev. Robert Blair, born at Irvine, in 1593, a distinguished Scottish clergyman in the "Heu! quanto minus est com reliquis time of the civil wars; a descendant versari Quam tui meminisse." Brief Memoirs of Robert Blair, Au. thor of the celebrated Poem of the Grave, by Dr. Anderson. The life of a country clergyman, constantly engaged in the duties of of the ancient and respectable family of Blair, of Blair in Ayrshire.* He was born at Edinburgh, in 1699, received a liberal education in its university, was afterwards sent abroad by his father for improvement, and passed some time on the continent. After undergoing the usual trials appointed by the church, he was ordained minister of Athelstaneford, He has written a part of his own life, which was continued by Mr. Row, and printed at Edinburgh in 1754. His father, John Blair, an adventurer at sea, was son to Alexander Blair, of Windy, a younger brother of Blair of Blair. His mother, Beatrix Muir, was of the ancient family of Rowallan; she lived an hundred years. He had three brothers, the two elder of whom were honoured with the office of provost, or chief magistrate, of Irvine; and William was first a regent (professor of philosophy) in the university of Glasgow, and afterwards minister of Dunbarton. Robert himself was a regent in the university of Glasgow, afterwards minister of Bangor in Ireland, and finally at St. Andrew's, in Scotland. He wedded Beatrix Hamilton, a desceirdant of the family of Bardouwie, who died August 27 1666, in the seventy-third year of her age. VOL. XLVII. 3 F RHODES HOUSE OXFORD Athelstaneford, in the county of East Lothian, Jan. 5, 1731, where he resided during the remainder of his life. As his fortune was easy, he lived much in the style of a gentleman, and was greatly respected by Sir Francis Kinloch, baronet, of Gilmerton, patron of the parish, and by all the gentlemen in that neighbourhood. He was a man of learning, elegant taste, and polished manners; he distinguished himself as a botanist and florist; and was conversant in optical and microscopical knowledge, on which subjects he carried on a correspondence with some of the most learned men. He was a man of sincere piety; assiduous in discharging the duties of his clerical function; and, as a preacher, he was serious and warm, and discovered the imagination of a poet. He married Isabella Law in 1738, daughter of Mr. Law of Elvingston, and sister to the sheriff-depute of East-Lothian, a lady of uncommon beauty and amiable manners. With her father, who had been professor of moral philosophy in the university of Edinburgh, who was his relation, and had been left one of his tutors, he had been long and intimately connected; and, upon occasion of his death in 1728, which happened several years before his marriage with his daughter, he wrote and printed a funeral Poem to his Memory, which is thought worthy of being preserved; and is accordingly inserted in his collection. By his lady, who survived him several years, and died in 1774, he had five sons and one daughter, David, William, Francis, Robert, Archibald, and Anne; of these sons, Robert Blair, esq. of Avington, solicitor general to his majesty for Scotland, is the fourth. Mr. Blair died of a fever, on the 4th of February, 1746, in the 47th year of his age; and was succeeded in his living at Athelstaneford by another poet, Mr. John Home, the celebrated author of " Douglas;" and who has recently published an interesting history of the rebellion in 1745. The poet's brother, Mr. Archibald Blair, was minister of Gawald, in the presbytery of Haddington, whose son, Robert Blair, M. D. is regius professor of astronomy in the university of Edinburgh. He was surgeon, during the last war, on board the ship in which Lord Robert Manners was killed; and, at the solicitation of the noble family of Rutland, was presented with the professorship, as a reward for his services. He resides at Merchiston, near Edinburgh, and is the author of some ingenious papers on optics, in the transactions of the royal society of Edinburgh. The friends of Blair were friends of science and of virtue; his love of poetry and polite literature procured him the friendship of Watts, a polite scholar, and devout poet; no less remarkable for his genius and learning, than the mildness and fervency of his piety: his passion for natural history obtained him the correspondence of the famous naturalist, Henry Baker, esq. fellow of the royal society, an intelligent, upright, and benevolent man, who was attentive to all the improve ments in natural science, and solici tous for the prosecution of useful discoveries. Besides the papers written by himself in the "Philoso"phical Transactions," he was the means, by his extensive correspon dence, |