Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Robrfon* 351 



marine fchools. Dr. Rob t son, p-lad to efcape from the- 

 Jogy to the profeffional purfuit of mathematics, was one cfif 

 the foremoft to embrace the invitation. He went from 

 Glafgow to St. Peterfburgh ; and entered foon after upon his 

 functions, as the mathematical teacher in a marine fchool, we 

 believe, at Cronftadt. 



In teaching mathematics he was employed to his wifhes ; 

 but he foon felt it exceedingly irkfome to pafs his days in ex- 

 plaining the firft fimple elements of that fcience, to youths 

 rude, turbulent, carelefs, and illiterate, and in whofe native 

 language he had, for a time, fome difficulty to make himfelf 

 readily underftood. The emoluments of his appointment 

 were comparatively fmall ; and the manner of living differed 

 fo much from that to which he had been accuftomed in Scot- 

 land, as to be confiderably difagrceable to him. He found 

 that, for his favourite fcience, he had made a great facrifice, 

 and had actually gone into a painful exile. 



Yet he was not without experiencing fome flattering con- 

 folations : his addrefs and perfonal appearance, uncommonly 

 graceful and ftately, befpeaking rather a military man of 

 high rank, than an obfetire mathematician, recommended 

 him to the polite notice of the beft company wherever he 

 had occasion to appear. He had become in Scotland a 

 frecmafon; and his connexion with that fraternity intro- 

 duced him, with advantage, to many refpe&able perfons 

 who were enthufiafts for freemafonry in Ruffia. There 

 were at St. Peterfburgh fome ScotVifh merchants, men of 

 pleafing manners and liberal education, who knew how to 

 eflimate merit and talents like Dr. Robison's, at their juft 

 value; and were, therefore, ever ready to diliinguifli him by 

 every agreeable civility in their power. Of thefe, he de- 

 lighted chiefly in the fociety of Mr. Pouter, a gentle- 

 man who, after paffing like himfelf with the higheft (nc- 

 cefs through a complete courfe of academical ftudy, had 

 been led by the circumllances^of his life to engage in trade 

 at St. Peterfburgh; and, with manners the molt amiable and 

 the bell: of hearts, unites fuch a knowledge of books with 

 fo much of deep infight into the human character in all its 

 diverfities, and fuch a (kill in the modes of bufinefs, as one 

 (hall very rarelvfind together in one man in any country, 

 •r in any condition of lite. 



But it' was, above all, in the purfuit of mathematical and 

 philofophical difcovcry that Dr. Robison found his beft 

 refource for amufement in Ruflja. An occafion fortunately 

 arofe to enable him to turn that difcovery to advantage. A 

 PlAH wis required by the Emprefs, according to which the 



Imperial 



