MEMOIR OF BRUCE. 21 



virtues. Young Bruce had the misfortune to lose 

 his mother in the third year of his age ; his father 

 married a second wife, by whom he had two daugh- 

 ters and six sons, some of whom embraced a military 

 life and died in the service of their country. 



In his childhood, Bruce possessed nothing of that 

 daring spirit and athletic constitution which after- 

 wards carried him safely through so many perilous 

 adventures. The insidious disorder that hurried his 

 amiable mother to a premature grave, seemed to 

 have marked him out as another victim; but the 

 phthisical symptoms of infancy gradually disap- 

 peared, and at eight years of age his father sent him 

 to London, where it was intended he should receive 

 a liberal education, suitable to his future prospects 

 in life, as the heir apparent of the family estate. 

 He was entrusted to the friendly care of his uncle, 

 Counsellor Hamilton, under whose superintendence 

 he remained until 1742, when he was removed to 

 Harrow School, then conducted by Dr. Cox. At 

 this famous seminary he prosecuted his studies with 

 unusual diligence, and had the reputation of being 

 one of the most promising boys that the master ever 

 had under his charge. 



Bruce quitted that institution on the 8th of May, 

 1746; and during the four years of his residence 

 there, he not only acquired a competent share of 

 classical learning, but gained the esteem of many 

 individuals who became his attached friends ever 

 afterwards. He had now reached the age of sixteen, 

 but he by no means enjoyed confirmed health or a 



