Biographical Memoir of Sir John Leslie. 7 



remained till the close of 1792, in the enjoyment of a liberal 

 salary, and of society at once agreeable and intelligent. This 

 was, in every sense, a happy and prosperous period of his life. 

 The time not devoted to tuition was assiduously employed in. 

 experimental investigation, and in completing a translation of 

 BufFon's Natural History of Birds, which he had previously 

 undertaken for a London bookseller. It was published in 1793, 

 after he left Etruria, in nine volumes octavo. Though exe- 

 cuted with fidelity and vigour, it was valued by himself, at least 

 after he became otherwise eminent, only as having, by the sum 

 which it procured him, laid the foundation of that pecuni- 

 ary competency which he early foresaw to be necessary to 

 the independent prosecution of his favourite studies ; and 

 which his industrious and prudent habits enabled him in 

 no long time, in a moderate degree, to attain. The preface, 

 however, alludes to this " first attempt" with considerable 

 anxiety ; and endeavours to bespeak favour for it as executed 

 " at an early period of life, and in the retirement of the coun- 

 try." This preface is written in that nervous, but strained and 

 ornate style, which characterizes all his after writings. His 

 first contribution to Natural Philosophy, entitled Observations 

 on Electrical Theoi'ies, was also written at Etruria ; and was, 

 in 1791, transmitted to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, for 

 insertion in its Transactions. This was promised ; but per- 

 formance having, as he thought, been long and unhandsomely 

 deferred, he indignantly recalled his paper, and laid it aside for 

 many years. It did not, indeed, see the light till the year 

 18^24, when he was induced to publish it in the Edinburgh 

 Philosophical Journal* conducted by his distinguished friend 

 Professor Jameson. 



About the period of the close of his agreeable engagement at 

 Etruria, which was occasioned, we believe, by the ill health of 

 Mr Thomas Wedgwood, and the marriage of his younger bro- 

 ther, a Cornish gentleman with whom he had become acquaint- 

 ed at that place, proposed to engage him as a companion in an 

 extensive tour through Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land. 

 Ever fond, as he was, of visiting foreign countries, particularly 

 those hallowed by memorable events or classical associations, 



* See vol. xi. p i. of this Journal. 



