version outside the window, after an evening of play, for his careful mother allowed no candles at that season. He was passionately fond of reading all sorts of books, of attending the Circuit Court, the meetings of the Synod, and other public assemblies, and much given to bell-ringing, and all manner of pranks. He was a keen hand at all boyish sports, but rather given to suggesting than leading in the ploys of his schoolfellows, by whom he was generally liked. For story-books he would have done or given anything. He was free from vice, and never could tell a lie. Even when disposed to make the attempt, his face betrayed him. He did not like Mr. Cromar so well as Mr. Nicol; his progress with the former was therefore less satisfactory. In 1812 he competed for a bursary at Marischal College. Twelve were given, and he stood fourteenth. A son of Mr. Falconer's was thirteenth, and George Moir, afterwards distinguished at the Scotch Bar and in literature, ranked next below. They all went back to the Grammar School, of which Ramsay tired in six months. He then went to the town's Public School, at that time taught by Mr. Cruden, afterwards minister of LogieBuchan, for arithmetic and mathematics, of which studies he became very fond. Mr. Alexander Leith Ross and Mr. Ramsay conceived about this time a great mutual friendship. Mr. Ross advised him to try his luck again at the competition, and

took considerable pains with him, prescribing his versions. Ramsay's pride would not allow him to compete again at Marischal College, so he went to King's and gained the second bursary, being the youngest of ninety competitors. From Mr. Ross, and his worthy father, the Rev. Dr. Ross, of the East Kirk, he received many acts of kindness, particularly the loan of books. Ramsay's first attempt in verse was made on the occasion of the death of the amiable and lamented Mr. Ross in 1821. It was the natural expression of sincere grief.

He did not like the studies pursued during the first year at College, and therefore did not make suitable progress. He was cut off from the society of his former class-fellows, most of whom were at Marischal College. Of these, Forbes Falconer, who was formerly unsuccessful along with himself, had gained the first bursary, and George Moir, also at first unsuccessful, gained the second. Next session Ramsay entered on the study of mathematics, to which he now became greatly attached. He had begun to study astronomy by himself, and copied out a short system from a book which had been lent to him by a class-fellow. He drew the figures with a fork for want of a compass, and was reckoned the best youthful mathematician in his class. During the long vacation he prosecuted his mathematical studies with enthusiastic ardour,

generally getting up at four o'clock in the morning, and many times not going abroad till nine in the evening. He could go over the whole of Euclid mentally, without the diagrams, and this used to be his employment in his walks. He loved the study for its own sake, and overcame many difficulties and discouragements in its pursuit. After this session he continued to prosecute his mathematical studies, and began an acquaintance with French mathematics. He was particularly delighted with the Arithmetic of Sines, and at this early age (seventeen) discovered some curious theorems in that branch.

Mr. Ramsay was never married, but in his own way defined the influences of the fits of the tender passion, to which he had been exposed. He owned to having had two-the first inspired by Annie Downie, who sat near him in the East Kirk, whose brother's battles he could fight, but to whom for three whole years he could only pay a silent worship and the tidings of whose death, while Ramsay was deep in Lacroix, caused him not a pang; and the other by that English girl to whom he spoke his love, and was spurned. His wild rush from her father's house, out over the moor for four long miles, till he fell down exhausted, may draw a smile from those who knew Ramsay in his latter years-"they laugh at wounds who never felt a scar." As regards the

forming of John Ramsay's character, would not he himself have said

66 'Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all."

Mr. Ramsay graduated in 1817, and on leaving College was for several years much engaged in teaching. Previous to this he had commenced the study of the higher calculus in the writings of Lacroix and others.

Every fresh accession of knowledge only stimulated him to acquire more. In this way he obtained a large amount of general information, which an iron memory enabled him to retain. He found no difficulty in recollecting facts and reasonings, but never had a great memory for dates, or isolated quotations. He became tutor in the family of one gentleman after another, till the late Mr. Joseph Hume, noting the capacity of the man, engaged him as his private secretary. Private secretary to Mr. Hume was not an office much in a poet's way, and accordingly we find Mr. Ramsay quickly quitting the uncongenial task of transcribing extracts from Blue Books, or following out such instructions as are contained in the following very characteristic note of the old Reformer.

"SEVEN OAKS, KENT, 2d April 1823.

"DEAR SIR-All the letters and newspapers that come for me (except the Times, which must

be regularly sent off to Arbroath every night), are to be sent by post to this place, until I advise you again.

"Let me know whether you have received any of the Essays from the binder, that I may give you directions respecting them.

"Open the desk at which I sit (the fir one), and in the left hand corner you will find a list of subscribers to Mill's Essays. Send that list to me in course of post.

"Put up 10 copies of the Essays in a parcel, addressed to Alex. Bannerman, Esq., Aberdeen. "Also 20 copies addressed to Mr. James Glen, Montrose.

"Also 5 copies addressed to James Goodall, Esq., Arbroath, and put up with Mr. Glen's.

"Also 10 copies to Mr. Francis Allan, Hanover Street, Edinburgh; and on every one of them write, with Mr. Hume's compliments.

"Let the 10 copies for Mr. Allan, addressed as directed, be put up in a parcel and taken down immediately to Mr. Plow's, at Charing Cross, who will send it off immediately to Edinburgh.

"Whoever takes that parcel to Mr. Plow's, let him ask for 250 copies of the article on Government, which Mr. Plow has, take them to York Place, and keep them separate from those you have.

"Let the parcel for Mr. Glen, and the parcel