Jf 2 
“former exercises, he was encouraged to 
go to Edinburgh, about the beginning of 
the year 1758, by the representations 
and advice of the Rev. Mr. Watson, 
then minister of Canongate parish, and 
a relation of Mrs. Adam. His studies were 
continued with unremitting vigour, and 
his finances were so straightened, that, 
in his anxiety to go forward to the grand 
object of his career, he even abridged 
his portion of the necessaries of life. He 
entered the logic class in the university 
of Edinburgh, on the 4th November, 
1758, and about the same time’ began to 
assist young Mr. Maconochie,* in that 
capacity which is commoniy styled a 
private teacher. For his services, he 
received -only one guinea in three 
months; yet, as he had no other method 
of raising a sixpence, he contrived to 
subsist upon this sum, and in a manner 
which will now appear incredible. He 
lodged in a small room at Restalrig, in 
the north-easteri: suburbs; and for this 
accommodation he paid fourpence per 
week. All his meals, except dinner, 
uniformly consisted of oatmeal made into 
porridge, together with small-beer, of 
which he only allowed himself half a bot- 
tle ata time.’ When he wished to dine, 
he purchased a penny-loaf at the nearest 
baker’s shop; and, if the day was fair, 
he would dispatch his meal in a walk to 
the Meadows, or Hope Park, which is 
adjoining to the southern part of the 
city; but, if the weather was foul, he 
had recourse to some long and lonely 
stair, which le would climb, eating his 
dinner at every step. By this means 
all expence for cookery was avoided, 
and he wasted neither coals nor candles; 
for, when he was chill, he used to run 
till his hloed beyan to glow, and his even- 
ing studies were always prosecuted under 
the roof of some one or other of his coms 
panions. 
HIS WORKS. . 
The work which laid the foundation of 
Mr. Atlam’s reputation was his Latin 
Grammar. This book was published in 
May 1772, and its merits underwent the 
severest scrutiny; for-no sooner..was it 
generally known, or rather no sooner 
was it generally circulated, than it met 
with the most violent opposition. 
After our author had laid at rest the 
disagreeable controyersy respecting his 
grammar, he praceeded to compile ‘¢ A 
Summary of Geography and History,” for 
the use of his pupils. This design was 
* Now a Lerd of Session, by the title of 
Lord Meadowbank. : 
Life and Character of Alexander Adam, LL.D. * 
admirably calculated for facilitating thei¢ 
acquirement of a thorough knowledge of 
the ancient writers., He had now formed 
a plan for giving to the world a set of 
works much wanted in their several de- 
partments, and which should also ems 
body his ideas of a proper course of study 
for the perfect attainment of the Latin 
language. 
The Roman Antiquities appeared in 
1791, and, for the copy-right, the doctor 
received from his bookseller, the sum of 
600]. The emolument which he derived 
from this work was exceedingly small, in 
comparison of the vast encrease of re- 
spectability which, in a short time, ap- 
peared from the circulation of such a va- 
Juable book, The author’s name was 
now ranked among the first literati in 
Britain; he was declared to have pro- 
duced the best compendium of Roman 
antiquities which is extant. It was. 
translated into the German, French,and 
Italian languages. ihe 
The Classical Biography was published 
at Edinburgh in the latter end of avtumn 
1800, and three hundred pounds were 
given for the copy-right. It was origi+ 
nally intended to serve as an appendix to 
the large Latin dictionary, upon which 
the rector had been previously employed _ 
for almost seven years, when he found 
that the subordinate work had insensibly 
increased to the bulk of a separate pub- 
lication... He evinced much ability and 
industry, in the Geographical Index 
appended to the Summary of Geogra- 
phy; and, in the work now under consi-« 
deration, he comprised, by the same 
means, and within moderate limits, a 
copious fund of information and refers 
ence. He spared neither time nor la- 
bour,. in ascertaining the proper autho. 
rities for every fact and statement which 
he had occasion tg introduce in every 
progressive step of bis undertaking. In 
this manner our author’s works gained 
undeniable superiority over all others of 
the same nature; and in this way he has 
referred the student, ‘in almost every. 
page, to the purest sources of historie 
truth, and to the best models of eloquence 
among the ancients, 
SCHCOLMASTERS’ FUND. 
Upon the 20th of September, 1805, a 
general meeting of the schoolmasters in 
Scotland was. convened at Edinburgh 
For about twenty years preceding, it 
had been regretted by many friends to 
public improvement, that the instructors - 
of youth often left, at their death, a wife 
and family without any settled provision. 
Various suggestions had been made witlr 
