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Barclay, ting liberty of conscience ; which was graciously re- 

 ceived. The apologist seems to have stood on a 



footing of great intimacy with the king, and to have 

 conversed with him candidly and freely on the busi- 

 ness of the state. Considering the intricacy of his 

 majesty's affairs at that time, the opinion or advice of 

 a sincere and honest, yet clear-headed man, was no 

 doubt highly valued by James. Having accomplish- 

 ed in London the object of his journey, he returned 

 home. 



In November 1688 he was again in London, and em- 

 braced that opportunity to take leave of his majesty, 

 with whose misfortunes he was greatly affected. At 

 his last interview with the king, while they were 

 standing at a window in the palace, conversing toge- 

 ther, James looked out and said, " The wind is fair 

 to bring over the Prince of Orange ;" the apologist 

 remarked, " It was hard that no expedient could be 

 fallen upon to satisfy the people." His majesty re- 

 plied, " He would do any thing becoming a gentle- 

 man, but never would part with his liberty of con- 

 science." This sentiment was so consonant to the 

 apologist's mind, and corresponded so closely with 

 his own principles and practice, that it drew forth 

 his approbation ; and with mutual regret they parted 

 to meet no more. 



In the month of December he arrived at Ury, and 

 lived retired for nearly two years, enjoying domestic 

 happiness in the bosom of his family. But having 

 gone to Aberdeen about the end of September 1690, 

 to attend a meeting of Quakers, he caught cold 

 while returning to Ury, and being seized with a fe- 

 ver, it put a period to his life on the 3d of October, 

 after a short but severe illness. 



With a mind naturally strong and vigorous, he 

 possessed all the advantages of a regular and classi- 

 cal education ; and his writings evidently show the 

 profundity of his research, as well as the extent and 

 variety of his learning. His mild temper, benevolent 

 heart, and sprightly conversation, gave him influence 

 with men in elevated stations ; but he employed it 

 only for the benefit of his friends, and often success- 

 fully exerted himself in behalf of others, as well as 

 for the members of the society to which he belong- 

 ed, from motives of pure benevolence. If, on one 

 occasion, he inconsiderately betrayed a fervour of 

 zeal in his profession of a preacher, by exposing 

 himself in sackcloth on the streets of Aberdeen, in 

 the year 1672, we must concede to him, at least, the 

 merit of sincerity ; and, in justice, make every al- 

 lowance for the ardour of a youthful mind. Al- 

 though his feelings were warm, yet his passions were 

 subdued by strict discipline ; and the practical ob- 

 servance of the rules of moral duty strengthened and 

 invigorated every virtuous sentiment. Cheerful, yet 

 serene, he withstood the shocks of a chequered life 

 with fortitude and firmness. Ever active and indefa- 

 tigable, he composed one of his best works within 

 the walls of a prison ; and, in all situations, he was 

 constantly occupied with that which he conceived to 

 be for the good of mankind. Considering the short- 

 ness of his life, and the time he employed in travel- 

 ling, it is astonishing that he could write so much, 

 and so well. But his works have outlived him ; and, 

 "> three volumes, the scattered opinions of the socie- 



ty to which he belonged are collected, arranged, and 

 exhibited to the whole world in elegant uniformity ; 

 and throughout Europe and America, " The Apo- 

 logy for true Christian Divinity" is to be found in 

 the libraries of the wise and learned. See two Manu- 

 scripts preserved in the Library of Ury, and the au- 

 thor's printed Works, (t) 



BARD, a professional poet and musician of an- 

 cient times, " hose office it was to celebrate, in song, 

 the mighty deeds of the heroes of his nation, or to la- 

 ment, in pathetic strains, their untimely loss, or any 

 great public calamity. The term, according to Fes- 

 tus and Cambden, is pure British or Celtic, and de- 

 notes a singer. The Celtic bards were a particular 

 class of the Druids, or ministers of the national reli- 

 gion ; but, taken in its more general acceptation, the 

 term bard denotes any professed musician and poet, 

 or minstrel, of ancient times. 



We have very satisfactory evidence, that, during 

 the heroic ages of Greece, the profession of a min- 

 strel, or bard, was in the highest esteem. Homer 

 makes honourable mention of Thamyris and Tiresias, 

 two celebrated bards of those ages : and he describes,as 

 one of the highest gratifications at the court of King 

 Alcinous, the bard Demodocus, pouring forth, te 

 the sound of the lyre, his lofty strains. Phemius, 

 another bard, is introduced by Homer, as depreca- 

 ting the wrath of Ulysses, in the following terms : 



" O king! to mercy be thy sou! inclined, 

 And spare the poet's ever gentle kind: 

 A deed like this, thy future tame would wrong; 

 For dear to gods and men is sacred song." Odvss. 8. 



It can scarcely be considered as derogatory to this 

 divine poet himself, to enrol him among a class of 

 men anciently so highly honourpH, if, ; c justly his 

 due, we place him foremost in the list of all the ce- 

 lebrated bards of antiquity. 



Among the ancient Scandinavians and Germans, 

 the recital of martial deeds, by the bards or minstrels, 

 was a gratification which was very highly prized. 

 Such recitals, according to Tacitus, inflamed the 

 courage of the ancient Germans, and served them as 

 omens of future warfare. Nor was it so much by 

 the charms of harmony, as by the display of heroism, 

 that the hearers were delighted ; for, according to 

 that author, a harshness of tone was affected, and 

 the voice was rendered deeper, and more resounding, 

 by the application of a shield to the mouth of the 

 bard. " Sunt Mis hece quoque carmina quorum re- 

 lutio quern barditum vacant, accendunt animos, Ju- 

 tvraque pugnafbrtunam ipsocantii au"urantur ; ter- 

 rent enim, trepidantve, prout sonuit ncics. Nee tarn 

 vocis Me quam virtuti.s enncentus videtnr. Affectatur 

 praxipue asperitas soni, et J'ractum murmur objectis 

 ad os sculis, quo plcnior it gravior vox repercussu 

 intumescat." De Mor. Germ. 



With respect to the honour in which the ancient 

 inhabitants of Scandinavia held their bards, or scalds, 

 as they were there denominated, we have the most 

 ample testimony in their old chronicles. From them 

 it appears, that the kings of Denmark, Sweden, and 

 Norway, were constantly attended by their scalds or 

 scalders, who were always treated with the highest 

 respect. Harold Harfager placed these minstrel;. 



Bard. 



