385 B I0 GBAP HICAL SRET CHE S.
and the author ; the former asserting that many of the ideas he had promulgated
in his " Translation of the Gospels," published a short time before, were
appropriated without acknowledpent in the Essay of the latter. Mr. Tytler,
however, proved satisfactorily that no such thing as plagiarism could have been
the case ; and that the extraordinary similarity was alone the result of a unison
of sentiment. Of this the Doctor, although at first somewhat sceptical, was so
thoroughly satisfied, that a warm friendship between the parties was the agreeable
result.
In 1790 Mr. Tytler was appointed Judge-Advocate of Scotland, an office
which he filled in the most conscientious manner, performing the duties personally,
and in several instances displaying a creditable degree of humanity,
by procuring a mitigation of punishment, in cases where the sentence of the
Courts-Martial appeared unnecessarily severe.
In 1792 he succeeded, by the demise of his father, to the estate of Woodhouselee,
where he afterwards continued to reside, and for a few years enjoyed
the utmost felicity in improving and ornamenting his much-loved paternal
residence. A dangerous illness with which he was seized in 1795 nearly proved
fa,tal, and confined him for a length of time. His hours of convalescence and
leisure, however, were sedulously devoted to literary pursuits, and to this period
several productions of his pen are due.
On the death of Lord Stonefield, in 1805, Mr. Tytler was promoted to the
bench; and appointed a Lord of Justiciary in 1811. Shortly after returning
from London, the following year, whither he had gone to make arrangements
respecting some property bequeathed him by his relative, Sir James Craig,
Governor-General of British North America, he was attacked by a return of
his former disorder. To have the advantage of prompt medical assistance, he
was induced to remove from Woodhouselee to Edinburgh ; but, notwithstanding
every effort, the malady made daily progress. " Feeling that he had not long
to live, although perhaps not aware that the period was to be so brief, he
desired his coachman to drive him out on the road in the direction of Woodhouselee,
the scene of the greater portion of the happiness which he had enjoyed
through life, that he might obtain a last sight of his beloved retreat. On
coming within view of the well-known grounds, his eyes beamed with a momentary
feeling of delight. He returned home-ascended the stairs which led to
his study with unwonted vigour-gained the apartmentsank on the floor, and
expired without a groan. Lord Woodhouselee died on the 5th January 1813,
in the sixty-sixth year of his age ; leaving a name which will not soon be forgotten,
and a reputation for taste, talent, and personal worth, which will not
often be surpassed.
One of his sons, Patrick Fraser Tytler, Esq.,
advocate, attained considerable reputation by a valuable History of Scotland,
and other historical and biographical works.
He left several children.
The following is a list of Lord Wooclhouselee's writings :-