BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, 41 5
entered as a student at the Divinity Hall, obtained license as a preacher from
the Presbytery of Cupar-Fife, some time, it is understood, in the year 1776.
His sermons attracted general notice, and gained him the esteem of many of
the leading men of the Church. In 1777, he became assistant to the late Mr.
Gibson of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh; and, in 1780, he was presented by the
Marquis of Lothian to the Church of Newbattle, within the Presbytery of
Dalkeith. In that year he married Susan, only daughter of Sir William
Moncreiff, and sister to the late Sir Henry Moncreiff Wellwood, Bart., by
whom he had a numerous family.' He remained at Newbattle for six years,
and his memory was long cherished with affectionate regard by his old parishioners.
In 1786 Mr. Paul, on a recommendation from the heritors of the parish of
St. Cuthbert's to the late Lord Melville, received a presentation from the Crown
to be one of the ministers of that parish, in the room of his late friend Mr.
Gibson; and by this appointment he became the colleague of his brother-inlaw,
Sir Henry Moncreiff. United by close ties of relationship, they were at
the same time men of a congenial spirit, and probably no church in Scotland,
where there was a collegiate charge, had two more able men as its spiritual
guardians,
In 1794 he was appointed, by his late Majesty George 111. one of his Chaplains
for Scotland. He continued to discharge the arduous duties attendant
upon his charge with unwearied assiduity till the period of his death, which
happened on the 27th October 1802,
The manner of Mr. Paul in the pulpit was attractive and commandingpersuasive,
and not unfrequently pathetic or forcible, as the occasion required.
While the young and the diffident, in the course of his parochial visitations,
were encouraged and brought forward, those who were of a contrary character
met with severe rebuke. From such a man, indeed, even a look was sufficient.
On one occasion, a young lady of respectability in the parish, and of great personal
attractions, from thoughtless levity stood up in church during sermon in
the front of the gallery, exhibiting a beautifully formed arm, bare almost to the
shoulder, which attracted the eyes of the entire congregation towards her.
The reverend clergyman, who knew her and her family well, was disturbed.
Although unwilling to hurt her feelings, he was determined to repress so
unbecoming an exhibition. Turning to the place where she stood, and pausing
in his discourse, he fixed on her for a few moments an eye so full of reproof
that the lady's vanity gave way under his gaze, and she sat down abashed in
her seat.
With the manners of a perfect gentleman, Mr. Paul possessed an independence
of spirit by no means suited to the meridian of a court, At one of the
elections of the Scottish Peers in Holyrood House, about the close of last
These were his son Robed, manager of the Commercial Bank of Scotland; John, one of
the ministers of the West Church; William, chief partuer of the firm of Paul, M'Kenzie, and
Moncrieff, accountants in Edinburgh ; and Henry, manager of the City of Glasgow Rank, Glasgow.
416 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
century, it was his turn, along with another of the Royal Chaplains, to officiate.
The latter opened the proceedings with a prayer most elaborately composed for
the occasion. His eloquence attracted notice, and expectation was excited in
regard to the prayer with which the proceedings were to be terminated, and
which fell to be offered by the subject of this sketch, when the reverend gentleman
stood up, and rightly judging that neither the circumstances nor the services
called for anything but the femest and simplest words, with great solemnity
repeated the Lord’s Prayer, to the no small surprise of the audience, some of
whom had the bad taste to term it unsuitable to the occasion,
The death perhaps of no clergyman ever produced a greater sensation in the
neighbourhood where it occurred. It was announced by bills hawked about
the streets of Edinburgh; and the presence of thousands of persons at the
funeral attested the veneration in which their pastor was held. Only one of
Mr. Paul’s sermons was ever published, although some of them have since
appeared in the periodical publications of the day. His venerable widow
survived him till 21st November 1828.
This Print was executed by the artist from recollection, after the reverend
gentleman’s death.
No. CLXIV.
BYRNE, THE IRISH GIANT,
MR. WATSON, MR. M‘GOWAN, MR. FAIRHOLME,
AND
GEORDIE CRANSTOUN.
THIS Print, which is one of the early productions of the artist, represents the
Giant in conversation with Mr. Watson, while Mr. M‘Gowan, Mr. Fairholme,
and Geordie Cranstoun are listening very attentively to what is going on.
Some account of MR. FAIRHOLME, the first figure to the left, will be
found in our notice of “The Connoisseurs.” The likeness here afforded may
not be so accurate or distinct in the outlines as the one in the group alluded to ;
yet the person and attitude are very characteristic of the upright and somewhat
pompous figure of the original.
The next figure presents an equally graphic portraiture of MR. JOHN
M‘GOWAN, who lived for many years in the Luckenbooths, where he occupied
the second and third flats above Creech the bookseller’s shop. He latterly
removed to a house in Princes Street, between Castle and Charlotte Streets,
where he died.
