BLACK. 325 



the new system, that it might seem the produce of a 

 somewhat later age. The interests of truth and justice 

 therefore require that we should minutely examine the 

 facts of the case ; and, happily, the evidence is so clear 

 that it only requires an attentive consideration to 

 remove all doubt from the subject. I feel it a duty 

 imperatively cast upon me to undertake a task from 

 which, did I not regard it as less difficult than sacred, 

 I might shrink. But I had the great happiness of 

 being taught by himself, having attended one of the 

 last courses of lectures which he delivered ; and the 

 knowledge thus gained cannot be turned to a better 

 use than in recording the glory and in vindicating the 

 fame of my illustrious master. 



The story of a philosopher's life is soon told. Black 

 was born, in 1721, at Bordeaux, where his father, a 

 native of Belfast, was settled as a merchant : he was, 

 however, a Scotchman, and his wife too was of a Scot- 

 tish family, that of Gordon of Hillhead, in Aberdeen- 

 shire, settled like Mr. Black at Bordeaux. The latter 

 was a person of extraordinary virtues, and a most amiable 

 disposition. The celebrated Montesquieu honoured 

 him with his especial regard ; and his son preserved, as 

 titles of honour in his family, the many letters of the 

 President to his parent. In one of them he laments 

 the intended removal of the Black family as a thing 

 he could not reconcile himself to, for his greatest plea- 

 sure was seeing them often, and living himself in their 

 society. Though Mr. Black sent his son, at the age 

 of twelve, for some years to a school in Ireland, he 

 was removed to the College of Glasgow in the year 

 1746, and ever after lived in that which was, properly 



