Dr. Roli/on, of Edinburgh. 391 



Tier marine, requefted Mr. Robifon to accompany him in 

 the capacity of his official fecretary, with a lalary of 250 1. 

 a-year. Mr. Robifon's attachment to the navy, and to his 

 affectionate friend and patron, being as ftrong as ever, and 

 a lecturer not having the fame rank in the univerfiiy of Glaf- 

 govy with a profeflbr, the requeft was cheerfully complied 

 with. 



It would appear that his conduct at St. Peterfburgh, and 

 the knowledge which he had occafion to exhibit in the view 

 of the admiralty college, had powerfully recommended him 

 to that board; for in [772 he was appointed infpeetor-ge- 

 neral of the corps of marine cadets, — an academy confiding 

 of upwards of four hundred young gentlemen and fcholars, 

 under the tuition of about forty teachers. As the perion 

 who fills this office has the rank of lieutenant-colonel, it be- 

 came neceflary, by the cuftoms of Ruflia, that Mr. Robifon 

 mould prove himfelf a gentleman, or what is there called a 

 dvoranin; and the proof required was entered on record. 



As infpector-general he had nothing to teach, nor did he 

 ever teach mathematics in any fchool during his refidence in 

 that vaft empire. His duty was to vifit daily every clafs of 

 the academy ; to receive weekly reports from each mafter, 

 dating the diligence and progrefs of every perfon in his clafs ; 

 and twice a-year to advance the young gentlemen into the 

 higher daffies, according to their ref pective merits. Of thefe 

 he was conftituted the ible judge, and from his fentence there 

 lay no appeal. 



In juftice to a ftranger and foreigner, it is proper to add, 

 that,' when fpeaking of this part of his duty, Dr. Robifon al- 

 ways mentions in terms of high refpect the enlightened and 

 honourable conducl: of general Kutuzotf, who was military 

 head of the academy, and held the third place in the admi- 

 ralty college. He reprefents the behaviour of that general to 

 himfelf as more like the behaviour of a parent than of a fu- 

 perior; for he approved of all his decifioris, adopted all his 

 mea lures, fuppqrted his authority againft intrigue and oppo- 

 sition, and introduced him to trie grand duke as an admirer 

 of the Ruffian language, of which his imperial highnefs was 

 the declared patron. This was a very powerful recommenda-* 

 tion ; for, however abfurdly Paul feems to have conducted 

 himfelf on the throne, he had tafte enough, when grand 

 duke, to feel the beauties of that language, and to befriend 

 foreigners, who, like the fubject of this memoir, had ftudied 

 it with fuecefs. 



Dr. Robifon had not the honour of being at all known to 

 the emprefs; nor did I ever hear him fpeak of being con- 



B b 4 cerne4 



