BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
No. xxxv.
THE SAPIENT SEPTENVIRI.
KING‘S COLLEGE, ABERDEEN.
THE original design of this curious Print was sent to Kay by a Mr. ROSSa,
native of Aberdeen, and formerly. student of medicine, of whom all that is
known is, that he obtained the situation of a surgeon in the navy, but lost it in
consequence of having made his brother officers the victims of his talent for
caricatura.
The Seven Professors of King’s College, caricatured in this Print, were all
hostile to a scheme of the day (1786) for the union of King’s and Marischal
Colleges.’ There is perhaps still in existence a similar effort of Ross’s pencil, in
which some of the Professors of Marischal College make a not less ridiculous
figure. This last Print we have never chanced to see, but we have been informed
that the famous Principal Campbell occupied a conspicuous place in it,
and that attached to his effigies was the punning interrogatory-“ What do the
Scriptures Principal-ly teach P ”
In the above print DR. SKENE OGILVY is represented as inculcating
on the Septemviri the duty of returning good for evil. The Doctor was senior
minister of Old Aberdeen, and was formerly minister of the parish of Skene.
He was a man of great natural talents, but was never remarkable for much
application. His powers as a preacher were of no ordinary cast, and many yet
remember the stirring effect of his eloquence on his hearers. He was remarkable
for a vein of broad humour, and abounded with amusing anecdote, but
unfortunately his many happy sayings have “ left but their fame behind.”
The Doctor carried his contempt of external appearances of religion to a
length which some were disposed to regard as inconsistent with the gravity of
the clerical character. In reference to this trait, he used to relate with great
glee the following anecdote : Soon after his settlement at Skene, he overheard
the beadle and sexton of the parish discussing the merits of their new minister !
“ I dinna think,” said the sexton, ((that our new man has the religion 0’ the
Weel,” continued the beadle, ‘(if he has nae religion he pretends to as
little.”
When the Doctor was a student at College, it was customary for the aspirants
to the degree of A.M. to deliver a thesis in the public hall of the College:
when Skene’s turn came, he mounted the rostrum, and began to make diligent
search in all his pockets for his MS. ; no papers, however, were forthcoming.
Nothing disconcerted, he very coolly took out an immense mull, and, after a
This union was at length effected in the year 1860.