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MEMOIR.

MANY a memorial notice, pensive and graceful, did the author of the following papers write during that long life it was given him to spend in Aberdeen. To reciprocate for him this office-to sketch John Ramsay in manner as he lived,-in all his rugged independence, shrewdness, wit, with all his power of fascinating talk, telling repartee, or stinging sarcasm, is no easy task. Careless of posthumous fame-heedless of the effects of the sharp words he used—and, to many, seemingly profoundly indifferent to everything that did not minister in one way or another to his personal comfort, he had yet a depth of kindly feeling which few gave him credit for, and, the writer believes that, in spite of all his acrid utterances, he was a thoughtful Christian gentleman. No man ever suffered more from incapacity to control the expressions of a keen wit. His perfervidum ingenium often forced from him. sayings he would have recalled as soon as uttered, and if unhappily some stinging epigram, or sharp incisive witticism, did now and again turn a kindly b

acquaintance into a bitter enemy, we may well lay them to rest with him in his grave. He is no friend to the memory of John Ramsay who can repeat such sayings of his, brilliant though many of them were, apart from the circumstances of real or fancied wrong which called them forth. Here at least they can find no place. The selected articles which constitute the bulk of this volume indicate with sufficient clearness his position as an essayist, mathematician, poet, and wit. Of necessity, and to a great extent, only a local interest can be felt in the subjects treated, but many of these writings, by the grace and purity of their style, merit and will receive a broader recognition of their worth. If the Memoir fails to catch the salient points, or show the true character

"Of that friend of mine who lives in God-
That God who ever lives and loves,"

it will be the fault of the Editor; for discernment, perception, force and solidity of character, every quality needed in portraiture, the subject had in abundance.

John Ramsay was born in London on the 18th September 1799. His father, John Ramsay, was Master of a West India trader. He died in Barbadoes. His mother was the only daughter of Alexander M'Donald, of Calcutta, and of Elizabeth Smith, eldest daughter of the Alexander Smith, of Blairdaff, near Monymusk, whose name occurs in

the list of the Commissioners of Supply for 1690. This family was one of the oldest in the county, having been settled at Blairdaff for many generations. When Ramsay was only nine months old, his mother left London for Aberdeen, taking up house in Correction Wynd, afterwards in Black's Buildings, where he was brought up. At four years of age he was initiated in reading and spelling by Miss Hogg, who taught a juvenile school in the neighbouring street, and whose good graces he fortunately gained. His two grandmothers, both women of strong sense, were at this time alive, and vied with each other in affectionate regard for him. He never had an aunt, and those elegant Cowperlike verses of his, "To my good old Aunt," the writer thinks are a creation of the poet's fancy from a study of the characters of those two gentlewomen. His grandmother by the mother's side, Mrs. M'Donald, had received a liberal education, had herself been a teacher of youth, and had seen much good society. She had lived for some time in the family of Thomas Ruddiman, to whom she was related. Sir John Peter Grant of Rothiemurchus was at one period her juvenile pupil, and in the family of his father she became acquainted with the celebrated Hawkesworth, and used to amuse young Ramsay's childhood with anecdotes of him and other distinguished persons of the day, to whose society she had been introduced. This excellent

lady delighted to superintend his religious, moral, and intellectual training. Before he could read with fluency, she used to read the Bible, the Spectator, and other works to him. The vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel, the Vision of Mirza in the Spectator, the death of Mary Queen of Scots, were all favourite passages. After having been about two years with Miss Hogg, he entered Mr. Falconer's English and Writing School, where he continued to extend his elementary studies. Mr. Falconer was a remarkably good-tempered and able teacher, for whose memory Ramsay cherished the deepest gratitude and affection. He entered the Grammar School in November 1807, under Mr. Nicol, with whom he remained three years. He was then transferred to the Rector's care. With Mr. Nicol he had the character of being a clever, spirited little chap, who could when he would. Ramsay once, on a holiday afternoon, stopped so long at Fittie, that his mother, getting alarmed, called on Mr. Nicol. John came home, all right, late at night. Next morning, Mr. Nicol administered a long advice and a heavy thrashing to the wanderer, winding both up with the assurance that he had done it all "for the sake of his mother, Betty M'Donald."

He had no private tutor. He always enjoyed his play first, and then his lessons; and sometimes in the longer summer nights, used to write his