BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 77
hearty pinch of snuff, exclaimed, ‘‘ Vir sapit pi paum lopuitur 1” and then
descended from the rostrum with the greatest composure.
He used to boast that when a student he once forced a smile from Professor
Leslie, while engaged in the act of public prayer with the students. Skene had
a fever, and was obliged for some time to wear a huge horse-hair wig. One
morning, during prayers, he doffed his wig, and threw it into the middle of the
floor, at the same time affecting to look round, that he might discover the wag
who had treated him with such indignity. He then went quickly forward,
took up the wig, and studiously placed it with the back part in front of his
bald POW. The whole affair was conducted, on his part, with such comic gravity,
as to force a smile from the saturnine Professor.
In the latter part of his life, Dr. Ogilvy had an attack of apoplexy, which
tended to weaken his mental faculties. He ultimately repaired to London,
where he died, He was a very plainlooking
man; and hence his sobripuet of “The Beauty of Holiness.” It was
the fashion of his younger days to powder deeply : a friend as ugly as himself,
chancing to meet him one day, compared him to the foul fiend looking out from
under a wreath of snow-“Gude e’en to you, brither Hornie!” was the
Doctor’s ready reply.
The Print strongly resembles him.
No. 11.-DR. ALEXANDER GERARD. This eminent Professor first
held the chair of Moral Philosophy, and afterwards that of Divinity, in Marischal
College, from which chair he was translated in 1771 to the Professorship
of Divinity in King’s College. His works on Taste and Genius are well
known. He died in March 1795. He is represented as addressing his colleagues,
and saying-“ Had you not sold your patronages, first minister might
have been annexed to my divine chair of verity and taste.” This alluded to
what had taken place a considerable number of years before. As the reveuue
of the College was but very slender, the members were reduced to the necessity
of having recourse, for the improvement of it, to such means as were within their
reach. With this view, several schemes were proposed about the year 1751,
and at last the sale of the “Superiorities and Church Patronages” was adopted,
by which it is said that three thousand pounds sterling were added to the funds
of the society. The purchase was made by the Earl of Fife, who thus acquired
the right of patronage to about fifteen parishes. The quill in the Doctor’s cap
probably refers to his diligence and success as an author.
No. 111.-MR. RODERICR M‘LEOD, Sub-Principal of King’s College.
This gentleman was for many years a Professor in the University, and in 1764
was chosen Sub-Principal. Whilst holding this appointment, he became
remarkable for his extraordinary exertions in procuring studenh to enter
King’s College. His general acquaintance throughout the Highlands afforded
him excellent opportunities of doing so; and he was not sparing of his
endeavours. His tours through the north of Scotland were long proverbial in
78 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Aberdeen ; on which account he is attired in the costume of a Highlander, with
a Lochaber axe. Upon the demise of Principal Chalmers, he was unanimously
elected in his place, and held the office till the period of his death, upon the
11th of September 1815, in the eighty-eighth year of his age.
No. IT.-Said to be a capital likeness of MR. JOHN LESLIE, Professor
of the Greek language in King’s College, Aberdeen. He was accused-whether
justly or unjustly we know not-of saying that he had rendered the Greek
language vernacular from Aberdour, in Fife, to Aberdeen. He was an old
schoolfellow of Dr. Robertson, the historian, through whose recommendation he
obtained the Professorship. He died at Old Aberdeen, upon the 24th of May
1790, aged sixty-nine.
No. V.-DR. JOHN CHALMERS, who held the situation of ,Principal of
King’s College for nearly threescore years. He was a man of very considerable
learning, but devoted himself chiefly to agricultural pursuits. He had so long
held the Principalship, that the patience of some of the expectants of the office
seemed wellnigh worn out. The Doctor was aware of this, and used to make
it the occasion of many a sly joke. He had a farm at Sclattie, in the
neighbourhood of Aberdeen, whither he used to retire during the summer
months. On one of his journeys thither he fell from his horse, and received a
severe contusion on the shoulder. The report of the accident soon spread, and
it was confidently reported at Aberdeen that the Principal was lying at the
point of death. Two of the Professors, each an aspirant to the expected
vacancy, set out post-haste to enquire after their friend‘s health, and arrived
simultaneously, although by different routes, at Sclattie. They were ushered
into the silent and darkened chamber of the wounded man, and, on stealthy tiptoe,
with countenances composed into fitting demureness, took their stations on
opposite sides of what they believed (hoped 1) was his death-bed. A solemn
silence of some minutes was at length abruptly broken by the PrincipaI thrusting
out his capenveloped head, and putting the perplexing question, “ Weel,
gentlemen, which of you is to be Principal ?” The Professors looked first at
the Doctor, then at each other, and after a hearty laugh, in which the Principal’s
voice was “ready chorus,” sincerely congratulated him on his escape. The
Doctor, however, survived them both. He died at Sclattie upon the 7th May
1800.
No. VI.-MR. THOMAS GORDON, commonly called “ Humorist Gordon.”
He was Professor of Philosophy for a long period of years. He possessed
vast and varied learning-was a scholar, a mathematician, an antiquarian, and a
divine. He was uncle’ to the late talented Dr. Eden Scott Gordon, and was one
of a literary club which used to hold their weekly meeting in an Inn in Old
Aberdeen, He was a man of a jovial turn, fond of anecdote, and a great
humorist. On one occasion he had given dire offence to Professor Leslie, who
