BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 161
thus speaks of himself-“I am now in my eighty-sixth year. I have never
used spectacles, nor is my hearing in the least diminished ; and my mind is as
acute as ever.” He died on the 21st of April 1827, in the eighty-seventh year
of his age.
Dr. Hamilton’s personal appearance is described as having been prepossessing,
and his manner dignified and agreeable. His time was almost wholly devoted
to good deeds and piety; and so much did he indulge in self-debasement,
that he withheld from his friends all records which could assist them in
compiling any lengthened memoir of his life. He even forbade the delivery of
a funeral sermon on his demise. Several interesting reminiscences, however,
have been preserved by some of his old friends, in letters to his son, Mr.
Francis Hamilton of Kentish-town. From these we shall make two quotations.
The first, illustrative of his talent for religious conversation-the other, of his
charity :-
‘‘I was privilege*’ (says the Rev. Robert Johnson), “with his company on a journey of
upwards of one hundred miles. He was a most pleasant and instructive travelling companion.
There were several passengers in the coach at different stages, to whom we were entire strangers.
During the whole of the journey the Doctor’s conversation was upon divine things. He, in a
familiarly instructive and striking manner, explained many important passages of Scripture, and
showed the necessity of experimental and practical religion. The eyes and ears of the passengers
hung upon his lips. He eyed
the Doctor from head to foot, and on every side. At that time the Doctor dressed in the costume
of the old physicians ; having a wig, with a large square silk bag behind. The Scotchman for
a long time looked and listened : at last he said, ‘ Pray, sir, are you a minister ’?’ The Doctor
very pleasantly replied, ‘ No ; I am only his man.’ ”
“Compassion for the poor ” (writes the Rev. James Wood), “was another trait in the
character of my departed friend. When he resided in Leeds, he attended in the vestry of the
old chapel one day in every week, where the poor had full liberty to apply for his adyice. If I
found any sick poor destitute of medical attendance, he was always ready to visit them without
fee or reward. One instance of the kindness he felt for the poor, I am thankful for an opportunity
of recording. When I was stationed at Leeds, Dr. Hamilton called on me one morning,
to ask me if I knew of any person in particular want, saying, he had just received a sum of money
which he had considered as a bad debt, and he therefore wished to give it to the poor. I had
just received a letter from a pious man at Sunderland, where I had been stationed a few years
before, stating his difficulties through want of employ, and that it had been impressed on his
mind to write to me. I showed the Doctor this letter, who gave me two guineas for the poor
man, which was sent without delay ; shortly afterwards a letter from the same person, full of
gratitude to God and to the donor, came to hand, which I showed to my friend, who gave me
three guineas more for the worthy object. The impression on the mind of the poor man-the
time when the letter came-a sum of money unexpectedly received-and the inquiry made after
proper objects, all concurred to show the hand of Providence, and that the Lord careth for the
righteous.”
The figure to the left of Mr. Wesley is that of the REV. JOSEPH COLE,
of whose life almost no memorial whatever has been preserved. He was for
thirty-five years a Methodist preacher, having joined the Rev. John Wesley in
1780. He maintained an unblemished character, and was esteemed an acceptable
“ labourer in the vineyard’’ His talents were respectable ; and his &-
courses were distinguished for simplicity, spirituality, and energy. He was
stationed in Edinburgh during the years 1789-90 and 179 1. ‘‘ His recollections
Amongst them was a Scotchman, who appeared quite astonished.
VOL. II. Y
162
of the apostolic Wesley, and of the great work which God had wrought in his day
never failed to inspire him with the deepest feelings of veneration and delight,
of gratitude and praise. The infirmities of age compelled him, in the year 181 5,
to retire from the labours of itinerancy. He then selected Caermarthen for his
residence j where, surrounded by friends whom he had long known, and by whom
he was deservedly esteemed, he continued to pursue his Master’s work, till his
vigorous constitution sank under the ravages of a disease, originally produced
by frequent and long rides, in excessive rain and cold, while travelling from
place to place in order to publish the Gospel of peace. Full of the hopes and
consolations inspired by that Gospel, he finished his course with joy on the
Lord‘s Day, January 8, 1826, in the seventyeighth year of his age.”
B I 0 G RAP H I CA L S K E T C HE S.
No. CCXXVII.
SIR WILLIAM HONYMAN, BART.,
OF ARYADALE
WILLIAMH ONYMAeNld, est son of Patrick Honyman of Graemsay, by Margaret,
daughter and heiress of M‘Kay of Strathy,’ was born in December 1756. He
was the fourth in descent from Andrew Honyman, Bishop of Orkney, the
founder of the family; who, on the streets of Edinburgh, July 1668, was
wounded in the arm by a poisoned bullet, intended for Archbishop Sharpe, of
St. Andrews, whose coach he was in the act of stepping into at the moment.’
Mr. Honyman was admitted to the bar in 1777, and appointed Sheriff-depute
of Lanarkshire in 1786, in the room of Mr. Robert Sinclair, who resigned. On
the death of Lord Dreghorn, in 1797, he was promoted to the bench, and
assumed the title of Lord Armadale-from a landed property he inherited by
his mother, in the county of Sutherland. In 1799, on the promotion of Lord
Eskgrove, he was named one of the Lords of Justiciary; and in 1804 had the
honour of baronetcy conferred on him.
Sir William Honyman, both as a lawyer and a judge, displayed very considerable
talents, as well as sound judgment. A specimen of his judicial argument is to
be found in the Appendix to Hutcheson’s “ Treatise on the Offices of a Justice
of the Peace,” etc. in the case of <‘ His Majesty’s Advocate, o. James Taylor,
and other Journeymen Paper-makers,” decided in 1808. These persons had
combined to procure a rise of wages, and were indicted to stand trial before
the High Court of Justiciary. On the relevancy of the indictment, the bench
She was cousin to Donald Lord Reay.
2 The bullet waa fired by one Mitchell, who had been engaged at the affair of Pentland Eills.
The Bishop never entirely recovered from the effects of the wound, and died in February 1676.