BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 129
he married, and abandoning the idea of India, embarked in the excellent
business left by his father-in-law. The death of his wife, however, which took
place soon after their mam-age, at Paris, whither he had taken her for the
recovery of her health, again altered Bruce’s destiny. Deeply affected by her
loss, he first devolved the cares of his business on his partner, and soon afterwards
withdrew from the concern altogether.
Some time subsequent to these occurrences, Bruce had become acquainted
with Lord Halifax, who suggested to him that his talents might be successfully
exerted in making discoveries in Africa; and, to give him every facility, his
Lordship proposed to appoint him consul at Algiers. He repaired to his post in
1763, where he employed himself a year in the study of the Oriental languages ;
and this appointment was the first step to the discovery of the source of the Nile.
As our readers must be familiar with the perilous adventures of this traveller,
as kpicted by himself in one of the most entertaining works in our language, it
would be altogether idle to attempt any abridgment of them. After many
hair-breadth escapes, and overcoming many difEculties both by sea and land,
Bruce returned in safety to Marseilles in March 1773, and was received with
marked consideration at the French court.’
On his arrival in Great Britain he had an audience of George the Third,
to whom he presented drawings of Palmyra, Baalbec, and other cities, with
which he had promised to furnish his Majesty previous to his departure. It had
been insinuated that Mr. Bruce was an indifferent draughtsman, and that the
drawings which he had brought home were not done by himself, but by the artist
he had taken along with him. This charge was perfectly untrue, although it
derived some countenance from his declining to comply with a request of the
King, that he should draw Kew. When he had submitted the above-mentioned
draughts, his majesty said, “ Very well, very well, Bruce ; the colours are fine,
very fine-you must make me o n e y e s ; you must make me one of Kew 1’’
Bruce evaded compliance by saying, “ I would with the greatest pleasure obey
your Majesty, but here I cannot get such colours.”
It was not until seventeen years after his return to Europe, that he gave
that work to the world which has perpetuated his name. It appeared in 1790,
and consisted of four large quarto volumes, besides a volume of illustrations, and
was entitled, “Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, in the years
1768-69-70-71-72-73. By James Bruce of Kinnaird, Esq., F.R.S.”’
There is in the museum at Kmnaird a very fine quadrant, with an inscription, as a present from
the King of France. Mr. Bruce retained such a strong remembrance of the kindness shown hini
by Louis XVI., that when he heard of the King’s tragical end, in January 1793, his feelings were
so much overpowered that he cried like a child.
a The long interval that elapsed between the period of his return and the publication of his
travels had induced many people to pretend that he had nothing worth while communicating to the
world. This malicious report was mentioned to him by a friend. He replied, “James, let Ihm say,
as my maternal grand-aunt said. You have,” continued he, “no doubt seen that inscription upon
Airth-are you acquainted with its oringin?”-“No,” was the rejoinder. “Then,” said he,
“I’ll tell you. My grand-uncle was amongst others a great sufferer during the Usurpation, and,
owing to his adherence to the Stuarts, was obliged to fly to Sweden. His wife, by her judicious
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