366 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



that renpered him ever alive to 

 the misfortunes of others. To the 

 poor he was a kind friend and be- 

 nefactor, and no one was more 

 deservedly esteemed in tiie neigh- 

 bourhood where he resided : the 

 respect which attended him 

 through life was equalled onl^' by 

 the sorrow which accompanied 

 him to the grave. 



Dr. Adam, rector of the higli 

 school in Edinburgh. He was 

 born in 1741, near Rufford, in the 

 county of Moray, of respectable 

 parents, farmers. He attended the 

 grammar-school there, and by his 

 own efforts, with little aid from the 

 abilities of his teacher, attained a 

 proficiency, in 1758, to fit him for 

 attending the University of Edin- 

 burgh, to this he was encouraged 

 by Mr. Watson, then minister of 

 Canongate, and a relation of liis 

 mother. In 1761, he was elected, 

 on a comparative trial, master of 

 Watson's Hospital. On tlie ill- 

 ness of Mr. Matheson, rector of 

 the High School, he was applied 

 to for assistance ; and, after teach- 

 ing for some time, was, in June 

 1768, appointed rector, and ever 

 since has personally discharged 

 the duties of the office. He was 

 twice married vcrj' respectably. 

 He is survived by a widow, a son, 

 and two daughters. Dr. Adam 

 was no common character. Strong- 

 1}' impressed with the importance 

 of his public duties, the ambition 

 of fulfilling them in the most su- 

 perior manner became his ruling 

 passion. The whole powers of 

 his mind were dedicated with un- 

 remitting exertion, to this favou- 

 rite pursuit, and the labours of a 

 most laborious life devoted to its 

 attainment. After the most ani- 

 mated activity, during the hoursof 

 teaching, to render his pupils good 

 scholars, and inspire them with the 



knowledgeandadmirationof Greek 

 and Roman excellence, the re- 

 mainder of his time was rigidly 

 devoted to the preparation of 

 works of great labour, which ap- 

 peared to him wanting for facili- 

 tating the attainments of the 

 youth, and exciting a relish for 

 the study of letters. And though 

 very susceptible of pleasure from 

 the society of friends, and though 

 the fatigue of great exertions re- 

 quired from him, as from other 

 men, some interval of repose, the 

 former was ever considered by him 

 as an indulgence, which it became 

 him to sacrifice ; and the latter as 

 a want, which was to be abridged 

 as much as nature would permit : 

 in short, he had imbibed the prin- 

 ciples and fervour of the ancients, 

 whom he studied, and a stoic as to 

 all personal indulgence, he was an 

 enthusiast as to the importance of 

 his undertakings, and a zealot for 

 their accomplishment. Thus lie 

 was enabled to produce works of 

 first-rjte utility and merit. His 

 Latin Grammar, though for a 

 time encountered by prejudice, 

 is, beyond all question, the work 

 best adapted to those for whom it 

 was destined. His Antiquities, 

 comprehended within moderate 

 dimensions, state, in good arrange- 

 ment, and with excellent judg- 

 ment, nearly every thing of value 

 in the voluminous, tedious, and 

 expensive Commentaries on the 

 Latin Classics, aiad afford every 

 requisite aid for studying the text 

 with intelligence and satisfaction. 

 His Biography, Summary of His- 

 tory, and Geography, are supe- 

 riorly calculated to furnish youth 

 with a general knowledge of great 

 cliaracters, and great events, and 

 of the scene of action on which 

 man is placed ; and the progress he 

 had made in the preparation of a 



