XVII. Biographical Account of the late John Robison, LL. D. 

 F. R. S. Edin. and Professor of Natural Philosophy 

 in the University of Edinburgh. By John Playfair, 

 F. R. S. L. & E. ^c. 



(Read 20th February 1815 J 



THE distinguisRed person wKo is the subject of this me- 

 moir, was born at Boghall, in the parish of Baldernock,, 

 near Glasgow, in the year 1739. His father, John Robison, 

 had been early engaged in commerce in Glasgow, where, with 

 a character of great probity and worth, he had acquired consi- 

 derable wealth, and, before the birth of his son, had retired to 

 the country, and lived at his estate of Boghall. 



His son was educated at the grammar school of Glasgow. 

 We have no accounts of his earliest acquirements, but must sup- 

 pose them to have been sufficiently rapid, as he entered a stu- 

 dent of Humanity, in the University of Glasgow, in Novem- 

 ber 1750, and in April 1756 took his degree in Arts. 



Several Professors of great celebrity adorned that Universi- 

 ty about this period. Dr Simson was one of the first geome- 

 ters of the age ; and Mr Adam Smith had just begun to ex- 

 plain in his lectures those principles which have since been de- 



3 R 2 livered 



