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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 383 Dictionary of Decision8 of the Court of Session, vols. iii and iv. 1778. Folio. Plan and Outlines of a Course of Lectures on'Universa1 History, Ancient and Modern, illustrated with Maps of Ancient and Modern Geography, and a Chronological Table. 1782. Afterwards much enlarged, and published under the title of Elements of Qeneral History. Nos. 17, 37, 59, 79, of the Mirror, first publishad in 1779 and 1780; also Nos. 7, 19. 24, 44, 63, 70, 79, of the Lounger, tirst published in 1785 aud 1786. Account of the Life and Writings of Dr. John Grego~y, pretixed to an edition of his works, published at Edinburgh in 1787. History of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, making the First Part of the First Volume of the Transactions of the Royal Society, printed in 1787. Biographical Account of Lord President Dundas, printed in the Second Volume of the Transactions of the Royal Society. Account of some extraordinary Structures on the tops of Hills in the Highlands, with Remarks on the Progress of the Arts among the Ancient Inhabitanta of Scotland. Printed in the Second Volume of the Tnrnsnctions of the Royal Society. Essay on the Principles of Translation, 8vo. Pablished by Cadell, London Second edition, with additions, 1797. 8vo. Critical Examination of Yr. Whitaker's Course of Hmnibal over the Alps. New edition of Derham's Physic+Theology, with large Notes and an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author. Published, January 1789. Ireland ProUting by Example, or the Question whether Scotland haa Gained or Lpst by a Union, ilnally discussed, 1799. Remnrks on the Writings and Qenius of Allan Rameay. Prefixed to a new edition of his works, in 2 vols. 8v0, edited by the lata George Chalmers, Eaq. 1800. 8vo. An Essay on Military Law, and the Practice of C o d - Martial. Edinburgh, 1800. 8vo. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Henry Home, Lord games. 1807. 2 vols. 4h. Republished in three vols. 8vo. Historical and Critical Essay on the Life and Character of Petmch Crown 8vo. Published, 1798. WILLIAM ROBERTSON (LORDR OBERTSONth),e figure next to Lord Woodhouselee, was the eldest son of Dr. Robertson, the eminent Historian and Principal of the University of Edinburgh. He was born in December 1754; and became a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1775. In 1779 he was chosen Procurator of the Church of Scotland, after a keen contest, in which he was opposed by the Hon. Henry Erskine, whose professional eminence is so well known. In 1805, after thirty years' successful practice at the bar, Lord Robertson was promoted to the bench, on the death of David Ross (Lord Ankerville), where he was distinguished not more for his legal talents than for his sagacity and good sense. His appearance is thus described by the author of Peter's Letters to his Kinsfolk :- " In his [the Lord Justice Clerk's] Division of the Civil Court, one of his most respected aqsessors is Lord Robertmn, son to the great historian ; nor could I see, without a very peculiar interest, the son of such a man occupying and adorning such a situation, in the midst of a people in whose minds his name must be associated with so niany feelings of gratitude and admiration. " The son of such a man as the Historian of Scotland is well entitled to share in these honourable feelings of hereditary attachment among the people of Scotland ; and he does share in them. Even to me, I must confess, it afforded a very genuine delight, to be allowed to contemplate the features of the father, aq reflected and preserved in the living features of his son. A more careless observer would not, perhaps, be able to trace any very striking resemblance between the face of Lord Robertson and the common portraits of the Historian ; but I could easily do so. In those of the prints which represent him at an early period of hie life, the physiognomy of Robertson is not seen to its best advantage. There is, indeed, an air of calmness and tastefuluess even in them which cannot be overlooked or mistaken ; but it ie in those later portraits, which give the features after they had been divested of their fulness and smoothnesa of outline, and filled with the deeper lines of age and comparative extenuation, that one traces, with most ease and satisfaction, the image of genius, and the impress of reflection. And it is to these lnst portraits that I could perceive the strongest likeness in the general aspect of the Judge, but most of all in his grey and overhanging eye-brows, and eyes, eloquent equally of sagacity of intellect and gentleness of temper."
Volume 9 Page 512
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