ANDERSON. 



161 



party in France at once perceived the benefit whicl 

 would be derived from this invention, and orderet 

 Mr A.'s model to be hung up in their hall, with 

 the following inscription over 'it "THE GIFT OF 

 SCIENCE TO LIBERTY." Whilst he was in France, he 

 got a six- pounder made from his model, with which 

 he made numerous experiments in the neighbourhooc 

 of Paris, at which the famous Paul Jones, amongst 

 others, was present ; and who gave his decided ap- 

 probation of the gun, as likely to prove highly use- 

 ful in landing troops from boats, or firing from the 

 round tops or poops of ships of war. Mr A. al 

 this period, took a keen interest in the transactions 

 which passed before his eyes. He was present 

 when Louis XVI. was brought back from Varennes ; 

 -and on the 14th of July, on the top of the altar ol 

 liberty, and in the presence of half a million ol 

 Frenchmen, he sung Te Deitm with the bishop ol 

 Paris, when the king took the oath to the Constitution 

 amen being said to the ceremony by the discharge ol 

 five hundred pieces of artillery. As the Emperor oi 

 Germany had drawn a military cordon around the 

 frontiers of France, to prevent the introduction oi 

 French newspapers into Germany, he suggested the 

 expedient of making small balloons of paper, varnish- 

 ed with boiled oil, and filled with inflammable air, to 

 which newspapers and manifestoes might be tied. 

 This was accordingly practised, and when the wind 

 was favourable for Germany, they were sent _off, and 

 descending in that country, were, with their appen- 

 dages, picked up by the people. 



O'er hills and dales, and lines of hostile troops, I float 



majestic, 



Bearing the laws of God and Nature to oppressed men, 

 And bidding them with arms their rights maintain. 



A posthumous work of professor A., entitled 

 " Observations on Roman Antiquities between the 

 Forth and Clyde," appeared in 1804. Mr A. died, 

 January 13th, 179C, in the 70th year of his age 

 and the 41st year of his professorship, directing, by 

 his will, dated May 7th, 1795, that the whole of his 

 effects, of every kind, should be devoted to the esta- 

 blishment of an educational institution in Glasgow, 

 to be denominated, Anderson's University, for the 

 use of the unacademical classes. His will was car- 

 ried into effect on the 9th of June following, by the 

 magistrates granting a charter of incorporation to the 

 proposed institution. According to the design of the 

 founder, there were to be four colleges, for arts, 

 medicine, law, and theology, besides an initiatory 

 school. Each college was to consist of nine profes- 

 sors, the senior professor being the president or dean. 

 As the funds, however, were inadequate to the plan, 

 it was at first commenced with only a single course of 

 lectures on natural philosophy and chemistry, by Dr 

 Thomas Garnett. This course was attended for the 

 first year by nearly a thousand persons of both sexes. 

 In 1798, a professor of mathematics and geography 

 was appointed. The splendid apparatus and library 

 of the founder, which were valued at 3000, added 

 greatly to the advantages of the iniimt institution. 

 In 1799, Dr Garnett was succeeded by Dr Birbeck, 

 who, in addition to the brandies taught by his pre- 

 decessor, introduced a familiar system of philosophical 

 and mechanical information to five hundred operative 

 mechanics, free of all expense. The institution was 

 placed by the will of the founder under the inspec- 

 tion and control of the lord provost, and many other 

 honourable persons, as ordinary visitors, and under 

 the more immediate superintendence of eighty-one 

 trustees, who are elected by ballot, and remain in 

 office for life. Since the first establishment of An- 

 derson's University, it has gradually been extended 

 nearer and nearer to the .original design of the foun- 

 der, and it may be considered as the parent of the 



various Mechanics' Institutions which have of late 

 years arisen throughout the country. 



ANDERSON, Robert, M.D. the biographer of Smol- 

 lett and Johnson, was born in 1749, the son of a 

 feuar in the rural village of Caniwath in Lanark- 

 shire. After studying medicine, he entered into prac- 

 tice, as surgeon to the Dispensary of Bamborough 

 Castle in Northumberland ; but in 1784 removed to 

 Edinburgh, where he ever afterwards resided. About 

 the year 1793 he began to prepare his edition of 

 the British Poets, which appeared in a succession of 

 volumes, in large octavo, between the years 179&and 

 1807. To the works of each poet is prefixed a 

 biographical memoir by Dr A. ; and the work 

 was deemed to be very respectably executed. A 

 collection of the works of Smollett, by Dr A., 

 with a memoir prefixed, has gone through eight 

 editions. To the last edition is affixed a highly cha- 

 racteristic likeness of the editor. The memoir has 

 been published repeatedly in a distinct shape, and 

 is a very respectable production. Dr A. also pub- 

 lished a " Life of Dr Samuel Johnson, with criti- 

 cal observations on his works " which has reached a 

 third edition. For several years before the end of 

 the eighteenth century, Dr A. was editor of the 

 Edinburgh Magazine, a rival of the Scots Maga- 

 zine, and more varied and lively in its details, which 

 afforded him an opportunity of bringing forward the 

 productions of his young friends. This work com- 

 menced in the year 1784, and at the end of 1803, 

 was incorporated with the Scots Magazine : it was 

 much indebted to its proprietor, James Sibbald, editor 

 of the Chronicles of Scottish poetry, to Lord Hailes, 

 and other eminent literary characters. Dr A. was 

 greatly instrumental in bringing before the pub- 

 lic, Campbell's celebrated " Pleasures of Hope," and 

 to him that work is dedicated. As a literary critic, 

 Dr A. was distinguished by a warm and honest 

 sensibility to the beauties of poetry, and by extreme 

 candour. His character as a man was marked by 

 perfect probity in all its dealings, and unshaken con- 

 stancy in friendship. His manner was lively and 

 bustling ; and from his long-continued acquaintance 

 with the literary world, he possessed an unrivalled 

 fund of gossip and anecdote. He died in 1829. 



ANDERSON, Walter, D.D., a Scottish clergyman of 

 the last century, who died in 1800 at the manse of 

 Chirnside, of which place he had been minister for 

 fifty years. He wrote the History of France during 

 the reigns of 'Francis II. and Charles IX. 1769, 2 

 vols. 4to, a work which he continued in three subse- 

 quent volumes, down to the peace of Munster. He 

 also produced an Essay, in 4to, on the Philosophy of 

 Ancient Greece, and a life of Croesus, king of Lydia, 

 in 12mo. His works are of no repute, and his cha- 

 racter seems to have been that of a laborious fool, led 

 astray by the ambition of authorship. His last men- 

 tioned publication (which was his first.) is said to have 

 arisen from a conversation he had with the celebrat- 

 ed David Hume, with whom he was familiar. One 

 day, Anderson said, " Mr David, I dare say other 

 people might write books too ; but you clever fellows 

 lave taken up all the good subjects. When I look 

 about me, I cannot find one unoccupied." Hume, who 

 "iked a joke upon an unsuspecting clergyman, said, 

 'what would you think, Mr Anderson, of a history 

 of Croesus, king of Lydia ? that has never yet been 

 written." Mr Anderson was delighted with the idea, 

 ind, in short, " upon that hint he wrote." In 1755 was 

 mblished accordingly, " The History of Croesus, king 

 of Lydia, in four parts ; containing observations on the 

 ancient notion ot destiny, or dreams, on the origin and 

 credit of the oracles, and the principles upon which 

 he oracles were defended against any attack." The 

 work was honoured with aserio-burlesque notice in the 



