CHRONICLE. 
gealous, skilful, brave, and of un- 
shaken fidelity. 
T8th. At Aberdeen, in his 68th 
year, James Beattie, L. L. D. 
F.R.S. Edinburgh, one of the 
professors of moral philosophy and 
logic, in the Marischal college, and 
member of several philosophical 
societies. This very distinguished 
writer was born in the county of 
Kincardine, studied at Aberdeen, 
and became a schoolmaster first at 
Alloa, in Fife, and afterwards in 
his native province ; thence he went 
to Aberdeen, to assist as usher in 
the grammar school of that place; 
and, while in that situation, wrote 
his celebrated ‘¢ Minstrel,” and 
* married the daughter of the school- 
master. He had before published, 
1761, an octavo volume of ori- 
ginal poems and translations; re- 
printed in duodecimo; and, in 1766, 
© The Judgment of Paris, a poem,” 
in 4to. The first book of ‘* The 
Minstrel,’ was published in 1770, 
and the second in 1774. ‘The ele- 
gance and feeling which characte- 
rize this poem, derived from doétor 
Percy’s Essay on the English Min- 
Strels, prefixed to the first volume of 
his “* Reliques of ancient Poetry,” 
and written in imitation of Spencer, 
have been generally acknowledged, 
and it is to be regretted that it was 
never finished. In his odes and ele- 
gies he took Gray for his model. 
His beautiful song, called “¢ The 
Hermit,” and other poems, have 
also obtained him distinguished ap- 
plause. Mr. Hume having severely 
criticised his poems, he determined 
to seek his revenge in the character 
of a christian philosopher, who had 
penetrated the sophistry, and was 
deeply alarmed at the consequences 
ofhis reasonings. His ‘¢ Essay on 
the Immutability of Truth, in Op- 
517 
position to Sophistry and Scépti- 
cism, 1777,” 4to. conciliated to him 
the friendship of doétor Gregory, of 
Edinburgh, of lord Lyttleton, bi- 
shop Hurd, and particularly of bi- 
shop Portes. Ife was also ho- 
noured with the esteem of the lord 
Mansfield, of whom he has been 
heard to declare, that he never con- 
versed with any person who had 
conceived such clear and just ideas’ 
of his philosophy.’”? He was pro- 
moted to a professorship in Maris- 
chal-college, through the favour of 
the most noble family of Errol. Not 
being in holy orders, he was recom- 
mended to his majesty for a pension, 
which he obtained and held for ma- 
ny years. ‘lhe approbation of the 
great charaéters above mentioned, is 
a sufficient testimony in favour of 
the Essay on Truth. His manner 
of treating the sceptics of the day, 
especially Mr. Hume, gave great of- 
fence to many readers; and his 
work was answered by Dr. Priest- 
ly : but, from the clergy, in general, 
it received the most decisive appro- 
bation ; and they justly estimated 
the nicrit of a writer who, on this 
occasion, appeared an anxious pro- 
moter of the best interests of man- 
kind, a judicious philosopher, and 
pertinent and captivating reasoner. 
The quarto volume of * Essays,” 
was published in that form at the 
desire of many of the doctor's 
friends, and contains a republication 
of the “¢ Essay on Truth,” with the 
addition of the other ingenious 
<¢ Essays on Poetry and Music, as 
they affect the Mind, on Laughter, 
and ludicrous Composition, and on 
the utility of Classical Learning,” 
which were not originally designed 
for the press, but which some of 
those friends had seen and desired to 
possess; and the suffrage of the 
L13 world, 
