BLAIR. 



5G0- 



Blair. put the weight into the opposite scale. From diffi- 

 dence, and probably from a certain inaptitude for ex- 

 tempore speaking which is not unfrequently the at- 

 tendant of a refined taste, Blair did not venture often 

 to take a public part in the discussions of the church 

 courts ; and, from the same causes, he never would 

 consent to become moderator of the general assem- 

 bly of the church of Scotland. But his influence 

 among his brethren was extensive ; his opinion had 

 always been held in high repute by the friends with 

 whom he acted, and, for many of the last years of 

 his life, was received by them almost as a law. 



Dr Blair's fame as a preacher had hitherto rested 

 entirely on his appearances in the pulpit ; but in the 

 year 1777, his friends prevailed on him to favour the 

 world with a volume of sermons. These were re- 

 ceived with sucli flattering marks of public favour, 

 that he was encouraged to proceed ; and, at different 

 intervals, three other volumes were published, which 

 not only established the reputation of their author in 

 his native island, but, being translated into foreign 

 languages, spread his fame through every quarter of 

 the civilized world. The eminent service thus ren- 

 dered by Dr Blair to the cause of religion and mora- 

 lity, was judged worthy of a public reward ; and, in 

 1780, a pension of 200 per annum was, by royal 

 mandate, conferred on him, which he enjoyed till his 

 death. 



From this time, his bodily constitution, which had 

 never been very robust, began gradually to feel the 

 influence of age. In 1783, he found it expedient to 

 decline the public duties of his situation as professor 

 of rhetoric, and, some years afterwards, felt himself 

 unequal to the fatigue of weekly appearances in the 

 pulpit. The symptoms of decay, however, made no 

 violent approaches ; his mind remained strong and vi- 

 gorous, and he continued to the last in the discharge 

 of all the other duties of his situation. In the year 

 1793, on the death of his friend and colleague Dr 

 Robertson, he was universally looked up to as the 

 only person in every respect worthy to succeed that 

 eminent man as principal of the university of Edin- 

 burgh. He himself considered that appointment as 

 a tribute due to his fame, which it would have been 

 honourable in the patrons of the university to be- 

 stow, but degrading in him to solicit ; and when the 

 election fell on another, he felt a severe mortification, 

 which he did not affect to conceal. 



Two years afterwards, a more painful trial awaited 

 him in the death of a beloved wife, who, for the long 

 period of 47 years, had been the faithful partner 

 of his joys and sorrows. This lady, who was the 

 daughter of his near relation, the Rev. James Banna- 

 tyne, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, was distin- 

 guished for the strength of her understanding, and 

 the prudence of her conduct. By her he had a son, 

 who died in infancy ; and a daughter, who, though 

 she did not survive her 21st year, displayed talents and 

 dispositions worthy of such parents. These repeat- 

 ed shocks he sustained with the feeling of a man, 

 and the resignation of a Christian. Dr Blair had 

 now outlived the usual period of human life, and had 

 the satisfaction of looking back on a long career, 

 full of honour to himself, and usefulness to mankind. 

 He foresaw, however, that the term of his earthly 



VOL. III. part in. 



labours was fast approaching, and he resolved to 

 spend the last of his days in a manner worthy of his 

 former exertions, and of his well-earned reputation. 

 The summer of the year 1800 found him employed, 

 with all the ardour of his youthful years, in prepa- 

 ring materials for a new volume of sermons. Though 

 now arrived at his 83d year, he, with his own hand, 

 corrected and wrote out anew such of his unpublish- 

 ed discourses as appeared to him worthy of the pub- 

 lic eye, and with much self-complacency he saw this 

 arduous work completed before the commencement 

 of winter. The intellectual vigour which on this 

 occasion he displayed, proves the powerful influence 

 of a well-regulated mind in resisting the inroads of 

 time, and surviving the wreck of the body. The pe- 

 riod however was at last arrived, when the world was 

 to be deprived of one of its brightest ornaments. On 

 the morning of Saturday the 27th December 1S00, 

 in the 59th year of his ministry, after an illness of 

 three days, which he bore with Christian fortitude, 

 he expired, deplored by his native country, which 

 his talents had so long contributed to adorn, and re- 

 gretted by the whole Christian world, which, by his 

 elegant instructions, he had delighted and edified. 



The private character of Dr Blair is thus elegant- 

 ly drawn up by his friend and colleague Dr Finlay- 

 son, in the account of his life subjoined to the post- 

 humous volume of his sermons : ' The reputation 

 which he acquired in the discharge of his public du- 

 ties, was well sustained by the great respectability of 

 his private character. Deriving from family associa- 

 tions a strong sense of clerical decorum ; feeling on his 

 heart deep impressions of religious and moral obliga- 

 tion ; and guided in his intercourse with the world 

 by the same correct and delicate taste which appear- 

 ed in his writings, he was eminently distinguished 

 through life by the prudence, purity, and dignified 

 propriety of his conduct. His mind, by constitution 

 and culture, was admirably formed for enjoying hap- 

 piness. Well balanced in itself, by the nice propor- 

 tion and adjustment of its faculties, it did not incline 

 him to those eccentricities, either of opinion or of ac- 

 tion, whkh are often the lot of genius : Free from all 

 tincture of envy, it de'ighted cordially in the prospe- 

 rity and fame of his companions : Sensible to the esti- 

 mation in which he himself was held, it disposed him 

 to dwell, at times, on the thought of his Success 

 with a satisfaction which he did not affect to conceal : 

 Inaccessible alike to gloomy and to peevish impres- 

 sions, it was always master of its own movements, 

 and ready, in an uncommon degree, to take an active 

 and pleasing interest in every thing, whether import- 

 ant or trifling, that happened to become for the mo- 

 ment the object of li is attention. This habit of mind, 

 tempered with the most unsuspecting simplicity, and 

 united to eminent talents and inflexible integrity, 

 while it secured to the last his own relish of life, wa:; 

 wonderfully calculated to endear him to his friends, 

 and to render him an invaluable member of any so- 

 ciety to which he belonged. Accordingly there have 

 been few men more universally respected by those 

 who knew him, more sincerely esteemed in the circle 

 of his acquaintance, or more tenderly beloved by 

 those who enjoyed the blessing of his private and do- 

 mestic connection." 



4 c 



Blair. 



