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.
422 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
He had his school-rooms for many years in a wooden land on the north side
of the High Street, immediately in front of where the Old Town Guard-House
stood. In those days pupils were considerably more advanced in years than at
the present time, and indulged in pranks altogether unknown now. In passing
from his school-room, through an ill-lighted passage, to an anteroom which served
for accommodation to those pupils who were waiting the exit of a class, he was
not unfrequently tripped by means of a rope wickedly laid across ; while the
“ Vile assassins ! waylaying in the dark,” as he used to mutter, with considerable
bitterness, on such occasions, secretly enjoyed the triumph of his fall, and the
burst of unavailing passion which the accident never failed to excite. Happily
a material improvement has now taken place in the demeanour of teacher and
pupil towards each other ; and the narration of scenes enacted in schools some
half-century ago is now listened to with incredulity. He exacted, with the
utmost rigour, punctuality of attendance at the hour, and not unfrequently refused
admission to pupils if late a few minutes, dismissing them with a recommendation
to decline “dorrnir” (i.e. to sleep) as they returned home.
Though irritable in his temper and eccentric in his habits, he was very kind
and charitable to the necessitous-having generally two or three orphans in his
employment-and manifested deep displeasure at any marks of injustice, dishonesty,
or oppression. He usually rode at a canter, and invariably carried a
large whip. As he was riding, on a certain occasion, at his usual rapid rate, he
overtook an old infirm villager of Wester Duddingston, who recognised and
informed him that a stranger had, but a few minutes before, stript him of a burden
of willows, Mr. Cauvin in a short time came up with the culprit ; and receiving
of course an unsatisfactory account of the manner in which he had procured
the burden, made him aware of his knowledge of the foul transaction. The
scoundrel instantly doffed his ill-gotton load, ha,@@ that scores would be
thus quietly settled. Not so thought Mr, Cauvin, who plied his whip in his
best style, and did not quit the miscreant till he saw him deposit the willows in
safety within the door of the poor man’s house.
In the prime of life Mi. Cauvin was a fine-looking man, though in his latter
days somewhat corpulent, and more rubicund in his visage than was suited to
the notion of a “ beau garcon.” He was always dressed well, being more like
a nobleman of the “ancienne regime” than a Scotch teacher. His attainments
were not very varied ; but he possessed a retentive memory, and the faculty of
a quick and accurate discernment of character. His hospitality was widely known,
and for many years much taxed ; but during the latter years of his life it was
confined to a few select friends.
It is worthy of being mentioned that the Poet Burns was an intimate friend,
and (which is not generally known) was also a pupil of his. He applied to
him, stating his anxiety to learn the French language, but the only hour at
which Mr. Cauvin could receive him was at nine o’clock in the evening, when
his ordinary labours ceased for the day ; aud this, it may be supposed, was not
very agreeable or convenient for either of them. However, Mr. Cauvin agreed
