BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 42 1
tions of teaching and farming. He died from the consequences of an injury
which he had received inadvertently in the right thumb at dinner. He left a
family of three sons and three daughters. Of the former, Louis became the
Founder of the Hospital; Joseph was a Writer to the Signet in Edinburgh, and
eminent in his profession ;I and Alexander died in his youth. Of the latter,
Jean assisted her brother for several years in hearing the lessons of the female
pupils; Minny was his housekeeper; whilst Margaret was married to a Mr.
Morrison at Milnathort.
The subject of this memoir at a very early age made choice of his father’s
profession. He was educated at the High School and College of Edinburgh ;
and, for some time before his father’s death, had been in the habit of acting as
his assistant, When that event took place he decided upon continuing the
school for the benefit of the family. Shortly afterwards he went to France, to
complete his knowledge of the language and its pronunciation, and prosecuted
his studies for two years in the University of Paris, during which time Mr.
Moffat taught his classes in Edinburgh. Thus qualified for his task, he commanded,
for a series of years, better filled classes than have fallen to the lot of
any teacher of French in Edinburgh. Without attempting any delineation of
his peculiar mode of imparting instruction, suffice it to say that he possessed
such an extraordinary energy of mind and vigour of body, that first-rate teachers
of the present day, who have studied under him, acknowledge that, within a
similar period of time, no one in their experience ever taught so much, or SO
well. The history of his labours in private and public teaching, and of the early
difficulties he had to struggle with, contains much that would be both interesting
and instructive; but it may be enough to state that his whole time was
devoted to his profession-that he laboured in it with the greatest assiduity and
industry for the greater part of his lifetime, from eight o’clock in the morning
till nine at night, except on Saturdays, the afternoons of which were devoted to
relaxation and hospitality-and that he retired from business in 1817 or 1818,
after having realised, by his own exertions, a handsome fortune. For nearly
twenty years before relinquishing his scholastic labours, he, in imitation of his
father, rented a large farm in the parish of Duddingston, which he managed
with great skill, and where he resided during summer. In the winter months
he resided in town, and regularly visited his farm on the Saturday ; but during
the rest of the year he personally directed the operations, morning and evening,
rising regularly at four o’clock in the morning. The farm-house, now termed
Woodlands, in the immediate vicinity of the Hospital, has been greatly enlarged
since he left it, and is at present (1838) occupied by Alexander Smith, Esq.,
W.S. During Mr. Cauvin’s occupation of the farm, he erected the house of
Louisfield, which how forms the centre part of the Hospital.
This gentleman married Miss Esther Cunningham, daughter of Dr. Harry Cunningham. This
lady mixed a great deal in the fashionable world in Edinburgh at the commencement of the preaent
century, and was satirised somewhat severely, under the name of Mra Ravine, in a curious novel, in
three volumes, entitled, “A Winter in Edinburgh.” She predeceased her hwband, leaving no
children.
