THE 



EDINBURGH ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 



Brown. THROWN, JOHN, (M. D.) a very extraordinary 

 JtJ medical theorist, was born about the end of 1735, 

 or the beginning of 1736, at the village of Lintlaws, 

 or Preston, in the parish of Buncle, in Berwickshire. 

 His father certainly moved in no higher rank than that 

 of a day-labourer, and belonged to the class of dissen- 

 ters known in Scotland by the name of Seceders, a 

 sect, at that time, remarkable for austerity of life and 

 solemnity of demeanor. However contracted the no- 

 tions of the elder Brown may have been on religious 

 topics, he seemed to have been animated by a very 

 laudable desire of communicating to his infant son all 

 the information which his narrow finances could al- 

 low ; and accordingly we find, that such attention 

 had been paid to the improvement of the boy, as to 

 have enabled him to read the whole of the Old Tes- 

 tament before he had attained his fifth year. His 

 progress in his native language induced his father to 

 send him to the grammar-school of Dunse, which was 

 then taught by Mr Cruickshank, a gentleman whose 

 name is recollected with grateful affection by those 

 whose opportunities best enabled them to appreciate 

 his worth. Scarcely had our author commenced his 

 classical career, when he sustained a severe loss in 

 the death of his father. This event, however, did 

 not retard his mental improvement, for he conti- 

 nued under Mr Cruickshank's care until he was be- 

 tween nine and ten years of age. By that time he 

 had attained the highest rank in the school, which is 

 distinguished in Scotland by the title of Dux. 



This may be considered the period at which young 

 Brown's misfortunes commenced. The limited funds 

 of his parents could no longer support the expense 

 rf retaining him at school, and he was doomed to be 

 a weaver. As might have been anticipated, he did 

 not long remain in this truly mechanical employment ; 

 VOL. V. PART I. 



the exact period is not ascertained, but it is suf- 

 ficiently known, that he owed his change of situation 

 to the liberality and favour of his old teacher, who 

 having offered to give him gratuitous instruction, 

 induced his mother and his step-father to forego his 

 original destination, and to look up for him to the 

 dignity of a seceding preacher. His progress in his 

 studies, on resuming them, justified the high opinion 

 which Mr Cruickshank had formed. He soon regain- 

 ed his lost ground ; and, in the absence of the mas- 

 ter, always presided and maintained order. It is pro- 

 bable that, between his twelfth and thirteenth year, 

 the occurrence took place, which, in some measure, 

 determined his future fate. He had been educated 

 in all the severity of puritanism ; but having on one 

 occasion been tempted to " hear a sermon in the esta- 

 blished church of Dunse," he was summoned to ap- 

 pear before a meeting of the seceding congregation ; 

 where he had every reason to expect a very severe 

 censure : this his proud spirit could not easily brook, 

 he immediately renounced his sect, and declared 

 himself a member of the established church an event 

 which the seceding church may regret as long as it 

 exists. 



With his change of doctrine, a corresponding change 

 in his hitherto habitual gloominess of manners took 

 place ; and some have asserted, that that freedom, 

 with regard to religious concerns, which he after- 

 wards strongly displayed, became very perceptible 

 even at this period ; indeed, the effect is what will be 

 very generally produced on persons possessed of vivid 

 but ill regulated feelings. 



About his thirteenth year, his proficiency in litera- 

 ture was so considerable, as to induce Mr Cruick- 

 shank to appoint him ireher to his school, in which 

 situation he- remained between five and six years. 



A 



Brown. 



