56 HIS TORT of the SOCIETK 



Account of His foil, it is true, afforded a (trong proof, that the force of 



Lord Prefiileat in • i i i • 



Dundaj. natural talents alone may conduct to eminence and celebrity. 



He was rich in native genius, and therefore felt not the want of 

 acquired endowments. But in this he left an example to be ad- 

 mired, not imitated. Few inherit from nature equal powers 

 with his; and even of himfelf it mull: be allowed, that if he 

 was a Great Man without the aids of general literature, or of 

 cultivated tafle, he muft have bten ftill a greater, had he avail- 

 ed himfelf of thofe lights which they furnifli, and that im- 

 provement which they beftow. 



This mofl; ufeful and valuable life was terminated on the 

 13th of December 1787. His lafl illnefs, which, though of 

 Ihort continuance, was violent in its nature, he bore with the 

 greaieft magnanimity. He died in the 75th year of his age, 

 in the perfedl enjoyment of all his faculties ; at a time, when 

 his' long fervices might have juftly entitled him to eafe and 

 repofe, but which the ftrong fenfe of his duty would not per- 

 mit him to feek while his power of ufefulnefs continued ; at that 

 period, in fliort, when a wife man would wiili to finifh his 

 courfe ; too foon indeed for the public good, but not too late 

 for his own reputation. 



He left by his firft wife, Henrietta Baillie, the daughter 

 of Sir James Carmichael-Baillie of Lamington, four 



daughters. 



" lite and ufeful learning, for the knowledge of which fome in the Faculty were not di- 

 • " ftinguilhed, perhaps equally with thofe who made the feveral parts of thofe fciences 



" their principal and particular profeffion. And he hoped he would be excufed for re- 

 " commending to them, and to all young gentlemen that might afterwards enter among 

 " them, to be at pains to maintain and preferve that charailer and reputation they had 

 " long held, and ftill pofTclTed, not only for the knowledge of the Civil or Roman and 

 " Municipal Laws, and the conftitution of their country, but of the other valuable 

 " branches of learning, that are requifite to accomplidi and adorn the charafter of gen- 

 " tlemen, and were indeed neceflary to render them completely qualified for the exerciie 

 " of their profeffion." Records n/the Fac. of Adv. Nov. 3. 1748. 



