340 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
acquirements and his own-natural talents. Of this we need no better proof
than is afforded by his text-book, (‘ Conspectus Medicinae Theoreticse ad usurn
Academicum,” which he published a few years after obtaining the professorship,
and which procured for its author a high professional character throughout
Europe.
In 1790, on the death of Dr. Cullen, Dr. Gregory was elected Professor of
the Practice of Physic, and successfully maintained the reputation acquired by
his predecessor. His success as a teacher was great ; and his class was, during
the long period he filled the chair, numerously attended by students from all
parts of the world. He also held the appointment of first Physician to his
Majesty for Scotland.
Dr. Gregory was distinguished for his classical attainments, and especially for
proficiency in the Latin language, to which his thesis, (‘ De Morbis Coeli Mutatione
Medendis,” in 1774, bore ample testimony. His talents for literature
and general philosophy were of a high order ; and that he did not prosecute
these to a greater extent was no doubt owing to the pressure of his professional
duties, which scarcely left him an hour to himself.’ In 1792 he published two
volumes Svo, entitled “ Philosophical and Literav Essays,” in which he combated
the doctrine of fatalism maintained by Dr. Priestley in a work previously
published by that author under the title of “ Philosophical Necessity.” He
forwarded the manuscripts of his essays to Dr. Priestley for perusal prior to
publication, but the Doctor declined the honour, on the ‘ground that his mind
was made up, and that he had ceased to think of the subject.
Dr. Gregory was likewise the author of a “ Dissertation on the Theory of
the Moods of Verbs ”-a paper read to the Royal Society, of which he was a
member ; and he published an edition of Cullen’s ‘( First Lines of the Practice
of Physic,” two vols. 8vo.
We have now to allude to a series of publications, commenced in 1793,
which, but for the extraordinary degree of local excitement created by them at
the time, we should willingly have passed over without comment. The fist of
these was a pamphlet by Dr. Gregory, in which he endeavoured, by internal
evichnce, to fix the authorship of a book, entitled “A Guide for Gentlemen
studying Medicine at the University of Edinburgh,” upon the two Doctors
Hamilton, father and son. The author of the (‘Guide” had been somewhat
severe in his strictures in regard to some of the professorships of the University
; while, in the opinion of Dr, Gregory and his friends, an undue degree of
praise had been bestowed upon the midwifery classes taught by Drs. Hamilton.
To this Dr. James Hamilton junior replied in a well-written pamphlet, in which
1 Respecting Dr. Qregory’s extensive practice, and the numerous patienta who, attracted by his
fame, came from great dmtances to consult him, several anecdotes have found their way into books
of light readiig. The scene in his study with a guzzling, punch-drinking citizen of Glasgow, is
amusing, and must be familiar to almost every reader. No man possessed more gentlemanly mannera
than Dr. Gregory ; yet, in such case8 as that of the Glasgow merchant, or of the lady who came
from London to csnsult him against the infirmities of age, he expressed himself with a brevity
and blnntnesa the reverse of gratifying.
