6 Biographical Memoir of Sir John Leslie. 



derrate his own. Thus he was wont to say, that the thunder- 

 storms of Virginia took away all feelings of awe at those of 

 Scotland, just as the Alps of Switzerland left him nothing to 

 admire in the Scottish mountains. His stay in the New World 

 did not much exceed a year, omng to the breaking up of the 

 family establishment by the death of the father of his young 

 friends. After visiting New York and Philadelphia, he re- 

 turned to his native place towards the close of the year 1789- 



From some letters to his family, written about the time of his 

 leaving America, his tlioughts seem to have been anxiously di- 

 rected to his future means of employment and support ; and 

 one of his schemes appears to have been to try his fortune in 

 India, probably as a Civil Engineer. This notion recurred af- 

 terwards, but without leading to any results. His next field 

 of adventure was London, whither he proceeded in January 

 1790, carrying with him various letters of recommendation ; 

 one of which was written by Dr Adam Smith, then drawing 

 near the close of his memorable career. It was on this occa- 

 sion, if our recollection does not mislead us, that Dr Smith ex- 

 horted his young friend never to approach any author whose 

 favour he might wish to win, without first reading his book, 

 lest the conversation should happen to turn that way. One of 

 Mr Leslie's objects in visiting the capital, was to ascertain what 

 success he might expect from a course of Lectures of Natural 

 Philosophy ; and the information he received soon satisfied 

 him, as he says in a letter to one of his brothers, that " ra- 

 tional lectures would not succeed." He therefore employed 

 himself for some time in writing for the Monthly Review, and 

 in executing literary jobs delegated to him by his countryman 

 Dr William Thomson, author of the continuation of Watson's 

 History of Philip the Third, and of many other works now for- 

 gotten ; and who was much in the habit of lending his versatile 

 pen, as well as his name, to those who required the assistance 

 or recommendation of either. But a more eligible and suitable 

 connection was ere long opened to him, by the invitation of the 

 youno-er Wedgwoods, who had been his fellow-students at 

 Edinburo-h, to reside with them, and superintend their studies. 

 He readily acceded to their prcposals ; and proceeded, in April 

 1790, to their residence at Etruria, in Staffordshire, where he 



