110 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
University of Aberdeen, and subsequently for five years at Edinburgh, he
repaired to London, Rouen, and Paris, and took his degree at Leyden about the
year 1740.l He afterwards practised for some time at Rotterdam, where he
married Miss Sarah Lombe, a lady of much piety and high mental attainments.
By this union he had a son and daughter. Miss
Grant, afterwards married to the late Dr. Andrew Brown, was much celebrated
for her acquirements. She was an accomplished musician, and performed with
science and taste on the piano and pedal harp.
Some time after the death of his first wife, Dr. Grant again entered into the
married state, by espousing a daughter of Sir Archibald Grant of Monymusk.
By this marriage he had two sons and a daughter. The eldest, Archibald,
went out to Jamaica to a relation-Grant of Rothiemurcus-where he died.
Thg other son, Johnson, studied for the Church, much against the will of his
father, who was desirous that he should follow out the profession of medicine,
and settled in the vicarage of Kentish-town, London. The daughter was
courted and married by Dr. Thorpe, physician at Leeds, while a student at the
University of this city.
On settling in Edinburgh, Dr. Grant rapidly acquired a wide range of professional
employment, chiefly among the leading families from the north ; and a
course of lectures on the Practice of Physic, delivered about 1770, secured for
him a flattering increase of reputation.’ In chemistry he was known to possess
pretty extensive knowledge; and part of his house was fitted up with the
necessary apparatus for experimenting on a large scale in that interesting
department of science.’ It may be worth mentioning, as illustrative of his
humane disposition, that he devoted an hour, between eight and nine o’clock
every morning-winter as well as summer-to the service of the poor, to whom
he gave medicine and advice gratis. He was long a manager of the Orphan
Hospital, devoting much of his attention to its interests, and was the projector
of the Hospital at Grantown, in Strathspey.
Moving in the best circles of society, the Doctor was a joyous supporter of
the social character ascribed to the last century inhabitants of Edinburgh; and
his house in James’s Court ‘-top flat of the left hand turnpike-was the scene
of many fashionable entertainments. His parties, at which the Duchess of
Gordon and other ladies of high rank were frequently present, were given generally
in the evening, and called “musical supper~.”~ As an instance of the
The former died in infancy.
1 While abroad Dr. Grant enjoyed the friendship of many of the most eminent medical men of
F’rofesaor Lied, of Rouen, wished much that he ahould have become Professor of
* In 1761 he was a candidate for the chair of the Practice of Physic in the University of
Some valuable morbid preparations of the bones, which Dr. Grant had procured at Rotterdam,
the Continent.
Chemistry there.
Edinburgh.
afterwards formed part of the museums of Dr. Barclay and Mr. John Bell. ‘ The Doctor’s horses and carriage were accommodated at Ramsay Gardens.
The gentlemen more regularly in attendance were, Sir James Grant of Grant, Sir John Sinclair,
Mr. Henry M‘Kenzie, and Mr. John Bell, surgeon. The concerts were led by the famous Stabilini.
