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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 457 Few men ever enjoyed a course of uninterrupted good health equal to Mr. Sym. When confined to the house for a few days in the latter part of his life, he used to say that no medical man had ever felt hispulse, and that he did not remember having ever in his life taken 6reakfast in bed. Truly B favoured son of Hygeia, he attributed his exemption from disease chieffy to regular living, and to his fondness for early morning exercise. He and Osborne (formerly noticed) were the right-hand men of the grenadiers; and from his stature (six feet four inches), the former had to procure a firelock considerably longer than the common regimental ones. He acted for some time as fugleman to the first regiment; and it is told that, in his anxiety on one occasion to perform his part well, he so twisted his body, while his arms were poised above his head, as to be completely Zoclce&incapable of movement. In tliis painful predicament he stood a few moments, till aided by the famous Major Gould, who, on observing the circumstance, ran to his assistance. Mr. Sym belonged to the old school of Tories, and was intimate with Lord Melville, Chief Baron Dundas, and the other contemporary leaders of the party. The well-known Editor of Blackwood’s Magazine, Professor Wilson, was his nephew; as were also Robert Sym Wilson, Esq., Secretary to the Royal Bank ; James Wilson, Esq., of Woodville, the eminent Ornithologist ; and the Rev. John Sym, one of the ministers of the Old Greyfriar’s Church, Edinburgh. Though in his younger years a gallant of no mean pretension, and in high favour with the ladies, Mr. Sym continued all his life a bachelor. At one period he resided in the buildings denominated “ The Society,” Brown Square, but for the last forty years and upwards he was an inhabitant of George Square. Mr. Sym was a member of the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers. No. CCCXXIV. REV. HENRY GREY, AM., MINISTER OF ST. MARY’S CHURCH, EDINBURGH. MR. GREY was born at Alnwick, in the county of Northumberland, in the year 1778. In early life he was left to the care of a kind and pious mother, who watched over her son with the most tender and anxious assiduity, and lived to receive the reward of her love and devotedness in her son’s clerical reputation and unceasing affection. Mr. Grey received the elements of English education at a private school in his native town. When eight years old he was placed at a seminary in Highhedgely, conducted by an intelligent curate of the Church of England, where he His father was a gentleman of the medical profession. VOL 11. 3N
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