

ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



and place him in the way of improv- 

 ing himself in his favourite pursuits. 

 The first opportunity of this kind 

 Tvas in consequence of a vacancy in 

 the grammar school of Aberdeen, 

 occasioned by the death of Mr. John 

 Smith, one of the masters. 



The day appointed for the elec- 

 tion, was the 23d of November, 

 1757- Two candidates only ap- 

 peared, Mr. James Smith and Mr. 

 Eeattie. Next day, the 24th, Mr. 

 Smith was declared to be the suc- 

 cessful candidate. I'dr. Beattie, how. 

 ever, did not retire from this contest 

 ■with disgrace. The exaniiuators 

 gave him reason to expect, that, if 

 not otherwise better provided for, 

 he might expect to be |)rcferred to 

 the first vacant ushership ; and that 

 he ought not to be disco'uraged. 



Beattie returned to his old em- 

 ployment at Fordoun, not without 

 the expectation that he might suc- 

 ceed according to his wishes. He, 

 however, did not procure, because 

 he did not apply for, an appointment 

 to any other school. 



About seven months after his 

 competition with j\Jr. Smith, another 

 vacancy occurred in the grammar 

 school of Aberdeen. Mr. Alexan- 

 der Held, one of the masters, and a 

 preacher of the gospel, was present- 

 ed to (he cluirch of Kemnay, in 

 Aberdeenshire. 



Mr. Beattie was not desired, by 

 those who had formerly examined 

 iiim, to come forw^nrd a second 

 {imc ; his brother and Mr. Forbes, 

 however, did not fail to urge him to 

 make a second attempt. P'or rea- 

 sons best known to himself, he 

 would not comply with their solici- 

 tations, and therefore did not make 

 his appearance on the day aj)point- 

 od. Two candidates appeared, and, 

 >v'hen cxamiaed, appeared to be un- 



fit for the ofiice. The patrons no\f 

 considered themselves at liberty, 

 without further delay, to give the 

 preference to one who, they knew, 

 was fully competent to acquit him- 

 self with honour, with credit to 

 the school, and benelil to the pub- 

 lic. Their choice fell on Mr. Beat- 

 tie, who being invited by tiicm to 

 accept of the vacant othce, repaired 

 to the spot, and being inducted after 

 the usual manner, taught there up- 

 wards of two years. • 



The time which Beattie passed a« 

 a teacher in the grammar school, 

 seems to have been very agreeably ^ 

 spent. He was more in his element, 

 and, as a natural consequence of that 

 situation, he either spontaneously, 

 or at the recommendation of his '| 

 friends, determined to exhibit a spe- 

 cimen, to the public, of what he was 

 capable of performing. 



It is not unworthy of remark, 

 that the same paper which contained 

 the first intimation of his intention 

 to publish a volume of poems, coi\- 

 tained, also, a notification of the 

 death of his colleague, Mr. James 

 Smith, who had only taught two 

 years and three months. 



In the first edition of his poems, 

 we find an epitaph, v. hich it is plain 

 he designed for himself. \t is a cu- 

 riosity of its kind, because it is al- 

 ways of importance to know what 

 an author thinks of himself, espe- 

 cially when contemplating an event 

 so solemn as that of liis own death. 

 It is entitled an epitaph on ***** 

 ******** 



Esc.np'd the gloom of mortal life, a f^ul 

 IJere leaves itb mouUl'ring tenement 

 of clay; 

 Safe where no rarcs their whelming bit- 

 lows roil, 

 No doubts bewilder, and no hopes 

 betray. 



Liks 



