Languages; from the high respecta bility of the character which he maintains as a minister; from his distinguished talents for chaste and elegant composition, and his happy facility in the communication of knowledge, with simplicity and perspicuity; from the virtues of his private life, and his amiable manners; from all these, I feel myself not only warranted, but bound, from intimate conviction, and the clear persuasion of my own mind, to declare, that I think Mr Brunton eminently qualified to fill the chair of Professor of Hebrew, in such a manner as to reflect honour upon himself, to promote the diffusion of Biblical Literature among the students of divinity, and to maintain, in his sphere, that high rank in the literary world which our University has attained. I have the honour to be, with sentiments of respectful esteem, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient servant, WILL. RITCHIE. P. S. May I be allowed to express a decided opinion, which I steadily maintain, that the Hebrew chair ought always to be held by a minister of Edinburgh. The Right Hon. Lord Provost. to our University, and useful to the students in Theology. This has be come of still greater importance, from the tendency which has appeared, during the last years, to prosecute Hebrew Literature with an ardour formerly unknown in this country.Having the honour to be in some degree known to your Lordship, I shall be forgiven for writing this letter, more especially as it is done under the conviction that you will be disposed to listen to any information respecting the different candidates suggested to your notice. Mr Brunton, one of the Ministers of your own City, has been known to me since the period he himself was a student in Divinity, and with a greater degree of intimacy than almost any other member of the church. I have been acquainted with the nature and progress of his literary pursuits, and which have been of a description which the public could not hitherto either know or appreciate. It is now more than seven years since his labours were zealously devoted to the language of the Old Testament, and the result has been a knowledge of it equalled by few, and surpassed by none of our Scripture Critics. To other Oriental tongues, his attention has also been directed; and, though here I am not personally entitled to judge, I am persuaded his attainments will be found most respectable.Knowledge in the department is most unquestionably and indispensably ne cessary; but there are other points of character which deserve the most serious consideration. One of these is unwearied perseverance and fidelity in the discharge of professional duty; and in this respect, Mr Brunton has given a pledge to the public, which must be held most completely satisfactory. There is, therefore, in his case, the most perfect security against disappointment. I am very little disposed to obtrude my opinions in matters of this kind but but I bave the satisfaction of knowing that they are in unison with those entertained by others actively employed in the instruction of that class of students to whose improvement the labours of our Hebrew Professor must be devoted. We are fully convinced, without regarding personal attachments and aversions, and on a fair estimate of Mr Brunton as a man and a scholar, that his appointment will be creditable to the University, highly beneficial to our students in theology, and do honour to those who have the power of making it. I have the honour to be, with the greatest and most sincere respect, Your My Lord, faithful and most humble very Servant, "HUGH MEIKLEJOHN. The Hon. the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. No. V. Letter, George Dunbar, Esq. Professor of Greek in the University of Edinburgh, to William Henderson, Esq. Old Bailie. Rose Park, 5th July, 1812. Dear Sir,-My knowledge of Mr Murray's abilities proceeds more from report than actual acquaintance. I have had much better opportunities of knowing Mr Brunton's talents and acquirements. The former I would consider as the more profound and varied scholar in Oriental Literature. The latter as possessed of far more taste, elegance, and general knowledge, and as likely to make a more successful and useful teacher. I believe indeed there are few men better qualified to communicate instruction in an engaging and elegant manner than Mr Brunton; and I understand that his acquaintance with the principal branches of Oriental July 1812. Letter, the Rev. Andrew Brown, one of the Ministers of Edinburgh, and Professor of Rhetoric in the University, to John Waugh, Esq. Bailie. Edinburgh, 6th July 1812. Sir, In returning an answer to the reference with which you have been pleased to honour me, concerning the nomination to the vacant chair of Hebrew and Oriental Languages, I desire to speak with that diffidence which becomes one so little qualified, as I am, to judge from personal knowledge of the branches of literature committed to its charge, and at the same time with equal and entire respect for the character and talents of the two candidates named in your note. Mr Murray is known to me only by the merit of his works, and the extent of his reputation as an Oriental scholar. To these, persons, highly competent to deliver a just opinion, have no doubt given their attestation, and I am disposed to give entire credit to the claims stated in his favour. I may, however, be permitted, with equal candour, and with a deep regard for the interests of the University of which I am a member, to communicate what I know personally of Mr Brunton. I have now had the happiness of living in habits of friendship with that gentleman for many years, years, and have daily found new reason to confirm and extend the favourable opinion I had originally been taught to form of his abilities and acquire ment. On this subject, indeed, I can only repeat what is well known to many of the Honourable Patrons of the University, educated with him in the seminaries of this City, the companions of his literary progress, and the witnesses of the faithfulness and success with which he conducts, under their own eye, the exercise of his ministerial functions. Mr Brunton early distinguished himself in the high school of Edinburgh by his eminent capacity for aequiring the accurate grammatical knowledge of the principles of language, by the correctness of his taste in discriminating the beauties of the classical writers, completely skilled in Hindsstance. From the strict habits of grammatical analysis and philosophical criticism, formed by the discipline of the High School and University of Edinburgh, and continued and improved, under the most favourable circumstances, to the present moment, I can have no doubt that his acquisitions in this department are of the most solid and useful kind; and am satisfied on the whole, that his appointment to the chair would reflect credit on the Patrons, and fully sustain, so far as he could be concerned, the high reputation of the University of Edinburgh. I have the honour to be with respect, SIR, and by devoted attention to elegant John Waugh, Esq. College-Bailie. pursuits. His reputation continued to rise at the University, where his public appearances and exercises in com DAVID SCOTT. Letter, John Marjoribanks, Esq. to the Right Hon. the Lord Provost, recommending the Reverend David Scott. London, June 18, 1812. My dear Lord-I have this day the favour of your Lordship's letter of the 15th instant, and shall call on Mr Sedgwick to-morrow morning, and acquaint your Lordship with the result of the application. position obtained for him the warmest Application in favour of the Rev. regard from the Professors, and in particular the cordial friendship of the late Dr Finlayson, no undiscerning judge of genius and merit. Of the excellence of his pulpit discourses it were superfluous for me to speak, as I am persuaded that, in this instance, the opinions of the Honourable Patrons coincide with the unanimous and unbiassed judgment of the Public. From these, however, the Patrons derive the strongest security that experience can furnish of the sufficiency of Mr Brunton for communicating, in the most attractive form, all that collateral information which it is the duty of the Professor of Hebrew and Oriental literature to furnish to the students placed under his care. I have good authority to say, that Mr Brunton has spent many years in the diligent study of the languages and literature of the East; that he is intimately acquainted with the structure and resources of the Hebrew; no mean proficient in Arabic, and I have now one to make to your Lordship, on public grounds, viz. to solicit your support for the Rev. David Scott, to succeed Dr Moodie as Professor of Hebrew in the University of Edinburgh. Mr Scott is well versed in the Arabic, and I have particular reason to know, that he is the best instructor of the Eastern Languages perhaps any where to be met with. His pupils from Edinburgh invari ably ably carry the prizes at Hertford College for Persian and Hindostanee. He is a modest, unassuming man, and a man of great application, and of most extensive acquired knowledge. I got acquainted with him, from his teaching some of my sons the Oriental Languages. My sons did remarkably well. Young Lindsey of Balcarres, a pupil of his, carried every thing before him, both in Persian and Hindostanee. Sir John Sinclair's son, in consequenee of being a very few months with Mr Scott, found the greatest advantage on going to the Hertford College.In supporting Mr Scott as professor of Hebrew, your Lordship will bring in a man most highly qualified to fill the situation. I was to-day with Lord Melville, who, from the high situation he so long held at the Board of Controul, is naturally interested that the young men from Scotland should distinguish themselves at College, and every way become useful members in the employment of the Company. Lord Melville permitted me to say, that his Lordship approved highly of my writing to you, in favour of Mr Scott. Besides his public merit, on which I ask the support, your Lordship will do me a personal favour, in supporting a man for whom I have a sincere esteem, on account of his worth, and being a real good, as well as a learned man. I ever am, your's most truly, On the 15th instant, at a pro re JOHN MARJORIBANKS. nata meeting of the Senatus Academi State of the Votes at the Election of Professor of Oriental Languages, 8th July 1812. FOR THE REV. A. MURRAY. Dean of Guild Mackenzie.. cus, we understand that the thanks of this learned and august body were unanimously voted to Principal Baird, for his exertions in promoting the interests of the University, by bringing Mr Murray's pretensions before the Patrons; and at the same time the honourable degree of Doctor in Divinity was unanimously conferred on the Rev. Alexander Murray. SCOT SCOTTISH REVIEW. Anster Fair, a Pɛem; in Six Cantos. Small 8vo. Cockburn. Astruther. THE subject of this humorous little piece is founded on the wellknown old song of Maggie Lauder. It begins representing Maggie deliberating upon the multitude of suitors who, from all the neighbourhood, sought the favour of her hand; yet, tho' disposed to enter into the matrimonial state, she is unable to find one on whom her choice can reasonably be fixed. From this dilemma, she is extricated by a very singular interposition. The mustard pot upon the table begins to move; and soon there rises from it an exhalation, filling the whole room, and from the midst of which comes forth Puck, the fairy sovereign. Maggie's surprise may be easily imagined; but it was soon converted into pleasure, when she discovered the beauty and graceful air of her aerial visitor. He then propounds the object of his visit, which is to relieve her from the perplexity in which she was involved. In order that she may determine the lover who may be worthy of her hand, he suggests four trials. The first is an ass race; the second, a race of men wrapt in sacks; the third, a contest of pipers; and the fourth, a trial of skill in story-telling. He who should prove victorious in all these four departments, must, it was conceived, be worthy of the prize contended for. Although some objections might have been started to this mode of investigation, these do not seem to have occurred to Maggie, who closed without hesitation with the proposition of Puck, Proclamation to this effect was immediately made, not only thro' the kingdom of Fife, but over the whole of Scotland. Candidates crowded from all quarters, fully provided with the instruments of competition. The monarch himself, James V., to whom mirth and adventure were always agreeable, set sail with his retinue, in order to be present at this brilliant exhibition. The games are next described with all due pomp.Maggie, however, does not fall to to the lot of any Fifan youth. Rob the Ranter, an accomplished border laird, undertakes all the trials of strength and skill, and in all comes off victorious. The fair object of contention is, therefore, unanimously declared to be his. Such is the outline of the story; which, being neither elaborate nor complicated, leaves the merit of the poem to be chiefly estimated by its details. Of these, therefore, it is time to produce a specimen. The description of the groups who, from the various towns and corners of Fife, flock to the grand scene of rendezvous, appears to us one of the most pleasing specimens: Say, Muse, who first, who last, on foot or steed Came candidates for MAGGIE to her town? St Andrews' sprightly students first proceed Clad in their foppery of sleeveless gown; Forth whistling from Salvador's gate they speed Full many a mettlesome and fiery lown. And mad t' embag their limbs and leap it Forgetting Horace for a while and Tully, beautifully. |