H U T 



331 



HUT 



him with his criticism* and observation* upon his Ei- 

 qniry into tnt Ideas of Beauty and Virtue, before it was 

 committed to the press. He experienced the same fa- 

 vour from Dr Synge, Bishop of F.lphin, with whom he 

 cultivated an intimate friendship. The first edition of the 

 work to which we have just alluded, wa* published ano- 

 nymously ; but its great merit did not allow the author 

 to remain long concealed. Lord Granville, who was 

 then lord-lieutenant of Ireland, sent his private secre- 

 tary to enquire at the booksellers fur the author ; and 

 when he could oot learn his name, he left a letter to be 

 conveyed to him, in consequence of which he soon be- 

 came acquainted with his excellency, and was ever af- 

 ter treated by him with distinguished marks of familia- 

 rity and esteem. 



From this period, his acquaintance began to be still 

 more courted by men of distinction, either for station 

 or literature, in Ireland. The celebrated Archbishop 

 King held him in great esteem ; and the friendship of 

 that prelate was highly useful in screening him from 

 two attempts which were made to prosecute him, fur 

 venturing to take upon himself the education of youth, 

 without Caving subscribed the ecclesiastical canons, and 

 obtained a regular license from the bishop. He also 

 enjoyed a large (hare of the esteem of the Primate 

 Boulter ; who, through his influence, made a donation 

 to the university of Glasgow of a yearly fund for an ex- 

 hibitioner to be bred to any of the learned professions. 



In the year 1728, Mr Hutcheon published hi< Trta- 

 lite on the Portion* ; and about the same time be wrote 



inserted in the collection 



some 



I papers, 



called 'HUtnucuSt I*itert, in which he accounted for 

 laughter in a manner different from the theory of 



<. and more honourable to human nature. Home 

 Utters having appeared in the " I.-.ntlon Journal, 1788," 

 subscribed Fhilaretus, containing objections to some 

 part* of the doctrine contained in the Kno^try, he wa* 

 induced to give answers to them in those public pa- 

 pers. Both the letters and answers were afterwards 

 publihed in a separate pamphlet. 



After be had conducted his private academy at Dub- 

 lin for several years with great reputation and tueces*, 

 he wan invited to Scotia: :ill tlie chair of 



moral philosophy in the university of Glasgow. In 

 thi* situation he spent the remainder of hi* life, in a 

 lr highly honourable to himself, and useful to the 

 university of which he was a member. About this time, 

 the degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon him. 

 A firm constitution, and a pretty u 

 health, with the exception of some (light attack* of the 

 gout, seemed to promise his friends a long enjoyment 



valuable life; which, however, waa terminated 

 by a sadden attack, in the year 1747, when be had on- 

 ly attained the age of 53. 



wa* married, toon after hi* settlement in Dublin, 



<he c 

 Fran. 

 rinal 





i!*i. thr daughter of a gentleman in 

 of Longford ; by whom he left one son, 

 Mkaaon, M. D. who published from the ori- 

 f hi. father, A Syilem ,j~ Moral 1'hilotofky, 



nU. 4 to. 



:ii- .n was a man of considerable learning, 



and various acquirements. He was not only acquaint- 



ed with those Mihjcrti most intimately connected with 



hi* profession, but was also well versed in mathematics 



and natural philosophy. Hi* work* hate been fre- 



sfwwtly reprinted, and have been universally admired, 



both for the sentiment* and language, even by those 



.ve not assented to the awtkoA principle*. Mr 



Monged to that class of philosopher*, who deduce all 



3 



our notions of rijjht or wrong from a moral sense or fa- 

 culty implanted in our constitution, which leads us to 

 perform good actions ourselves, and to approve of them 

 when performed by others, independently of any rea- 

 soning with regard to their utility or fitness. He was 

 a decided antagonist of the doctrines of Hobbes ; en- 

 tertaining high notions of the dignity of human nature, 

 and being persuaded that, even in this corrupt state, it 

 is capable of great improvement, by proper instruction 

 and assiduous culture. See Dr Leichman's Account of 

 the Liff, Writing*, and Character of Dr H niches tn, pre- 

 fixed to the Syttem of Moral Philotophy ; and the lien. 

 Biu. :) 



I1C I'TON, .IVVES, M. D. well known as the author 

 of an ingenious Theory of the Earth, was the son of a 

 respectable merchant in Edinburgh, and was born on 

 the 3d of June 17-6. He received nt the high school 

 anil the university the rudiments of a liberal education, 

 during which his curiosity was powerfully excited by 

 various facts in chemistry which came under hi* know- 

 ledge, and he acquired a taste fur chemical pursuit* 

 which distinguished him through life. His friends, 

 however, placed him as an apprentice with Mr Chal- 

 mers, Writer to tlie Signet. But this jjentleman soon 

 perceiving that he disliked his employment, nnd occu- 

 pied much of his time with chemical experiments, libe- 

 rally released him from his engagements, and advised 

 him to turn h'is attention to more congenial pursuits. 

 He now entered on a course of mcdie.il stmlii-i, which 

 he prosecuted lint in Edinburgh, from the year 171V 

 to 1 7t7. H<- next tudied at Paris; and in 17+!', IIP 

 took the drgn-f of M. I), at Leyden. Having thu* 

 completed hi* education, however, he perceived serious 

 difficulties opposed to hi* view -s in obtaining 



practice. He also apprehended that the labours of a 

 professional life might interfere with the gratification of 

 his taste for chemistry ; and in 1 750, he resolved to ap- 

 ply himself to agriculture. For the purpose of learning 

 that art, he went to Norfolk, where lie resided two 

 years in the bouse of an intelligent farmer. During 

 this residence, he made pedestrian excursion* to dim-r- 

 ent parts of England tor I. is inipr.- ^ricultii- 

 ral knowledge; in the course of which lie contract 

 attachment to mineralogy and the kindred speculation* 

 ttm 'v>. 



In I7ftv* b* extended his agricultural knowledge, by 

 making a tour in Holland and Flanders. During all 

 theae pertgiiaations, be made a collection of facts w hich 

 were afterward* made to contribute to his theory of the 

 earth. He returned to Scotland, and reduced his agri- 

 cultural knowledge to practice, by improving hi* pa- 

 trimonial property in Berwickshire. In this occupa- 

 tion he was engaged for 14 yean. He hail the honour 

 of bring among the fir.-t who introduced good husban- 

 dry into our country, where it ha since been so 

 cessrully cultivated. In 1763 he let his farm, which 

 he bad now brought to a high state of improvement. 

 He had been, for several years concerned in a manu- 

 factory of sal ammoniac, conducted in Edinburgh 

 under the name of Mr James l).v .vas nne of 



his early and constant t'r a regular 



partnership had been formed, after w! work 



was conducted in the name of both. \V h> n ! gave 

 up hii farm, h* n Edinburgh, 



and devoted his at'< ;lie purtnt of science, 



in hich he was assisted and animated bv his learned 

 friends, whose company he enjoyed in tlu metr. 

 In the course of his chemical be discovered 



that *oda was contained in *eolite; the firtt time w 



Hiittim. 



