1818.] Lord Woodhoaselee. 403 



It is among the most important effects of these studies in early- 

 life, that they awaken the minds of the young to a new sense of 

 the beauties of nature, and of the charms of poetical imitation. 

 Both these effects Mr. Tytler seems at this period to have expe- 

 rienced. It was during his residence at Kensington that he first 

 began the art of drawing and the study of landscape-painting ; 

 a pursuit which he continued ever afterwards to follow, and 

 which formed one of the most favourite amusements of his future 

 life. At the same time also, in his hours of leisure, he began by 

 himself the study of the Italian language ; and in the early admi- 

 ration of the poetiy of that country, with which his industry 

 was then repaid, opened to himself a field of elegant and of 

 refined amusement, which he never ceased to cultivate with 

 increasing delight. 



There was another acquisition which Mr. Tytler accidentally 

 made at this time of which he always spoke with gratitude — it 

 was the love of the science of natural history. When he went to 

 Kensington he was particularly recommended by his father to 

 his early friend Dr. Russell, the celebrated physician of Aleppo, 

 who, at that time, resided in the neighbourhood of Kensington ; 

 and with this respectable and intelligent man Mr. Tytler used 

 always to pass his holidays. Dr. Russell Avas then engaged in 

 the pursuits of natural history ; and seeing the ardour of his 

 young friend for knowledge, he made him acquainted with the 

 general principles of the science, associated him as his compa- 

 nion in study, and delighted him, in their leisure hours, by his 

 accounts of the scenery and productions of the East. To these 

 studies Mr. Tytler was then alone led by the charm which, in his 

 eyes, they threw over nature, in the illustrations they every 

 where afforded of the wisdom and benevolence of its author. He 

 did not foresee that they were afterwards to become to him the 

 source of unfading consolation, and to relieve many an oppressive 

 hour of lassitude and pain. 



In 1765 Mr. Tytler returned to Edinburgh, after two years 

 passed at Kensington with equal happiness and improvement. 

 Of these years he always spoke with pleasure, and of Mr. 

 Elphinston with the most grateful and affectionate regard. He 

 continued ever afterwards occasionally to correspond with him ; 

 and so little did the lapse of time, or the business of mature life, 

 diminish the remembrance of early obligations, that when Mr. 

 Elphinston died, he had the satisfaction of associating himself 

 with his respectable widow in erecting, in the church-yard of 

 Battersea, a monument to his memory. 



In the close of the year 1765, Mr. Tytler entered the Univer- 

 sity of Edinburgh, and upon a new field of knowledge and of 

 study. 



The profession to which his own disposition and the wishes of 

 his father inclined him was that of the law ; the profession of all 

 others connected with literature, most attractive to the ambition 



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