Mr. R. Embleton on Rev. John Baird. 325 



Edinburgh, where he completed the studies necessary for his 

 future ministerial duties. From overwork, he was attacked 

 with hoem.optysis, for the cure of which, a sea voyage was 

 recommended. He proceeded to Gibraltar, the coast of Spain, 

 and Newfoundland, on board a ship of war, where he per- 

 formed the duties of tutor to several midshipmen. On his 

 return, he was licensed by the Presbytery, and went to Ire- 

 land for two or three years, in connection with the Presby- 

 terian Church in Ireland. On his return he was ordained to 

 the church at Yetholm, where he continued until his death, 

 a period of 33 years. His health had, for a considerable 

 time, been very precarious, and a visit to Ireland during the 

 past summer was not attended by any improvement. The 

 nature of his disease, seemed very doubtful, but apparently 

 it was some disease of the stomach of a malignant form, 

 which terminated in a state of pure ancemia. As a preacher 

 he was simple, impressive, and at the same time eloquent, 

 and never failed to command the attention of his hearers. 

 His kindliness of heart, and untiring discharge of his duties 

 as a clergyman, his unwearied exertions towards the amelior- 

 ation of the condition of the gipsies, and his services in general 

 towards his people, especially in regard to the young, procured 

 for him the love, confidence, and respect of all classes, and 

 all ages. 



" The service past, around the pious man, 

 With steady zeal, each honest rustic ran ; 

 E'en children followed, with endearing wile, 

 And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile, 

 His ready smile, a parent's warmth exprest. 

 Their welfare pleased him, and their cares distrest." 



In conversation, amongst those he knew, there ran a rich 

 vein of quiet humour, which a stranger would in vain have 

 looked for, under his somewhat quiet and retiring manner. 

 As a botanist and geologist, his knowledge was neither super- 

 ficial nor confined, although of late years he had not pursued 

 either with much zeal. He was chosen President of our club 

 in 1837, and through our transactions are scattered many of 

 his observations. 



He was the author also of a paper on the Geology of the 

 Rock of Gibraltar and the adjacent country, which was pub- 

 lished in the 7th vol. of the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal ; 

 and of another on the Rocks in the neighbourhood of St. 

 John's, Newfoundland, printed in the 4th vol. of the Trans- 

 actions of the Wernerian Society. 



