48 BISTORT of the SOCIETK 



DrDryfdaL. tlon ' tne leaders on the moderate fide pitched upon Dr Drys- 

 dale as their candidate, thinking that of all others he was 

 mod likely to defeat the views of their antagonifts. But they 

 found great difficulty in prevailing on him to comply with their 

 wifhes. His modefty difpofed him to decline the honour of the 

 Moderatorihip a fecond time, and he was afraid that his con- 

 flitution, which never was robuft, and now much weaker than 

 when he held that office eleven years before, might not be equal 

 to the fatigues in which he would neceiTarily be involved. Be- 

 fides, he was extremely unwilling to put his friends to the 

 trouble of coming from the remote parts of the country on 

 his account. By earneft foli citation, and particularly when it 

 was ftrongly ftated to him that he ought not to conlider this 

 as his own caufe only, but the caufe of the friends with whom 

 he had always acted, his objections at laft were removed ; and 

 as it was a maxim of his never to do things by halves, he de- 

 termined to ufe his utmoft exertions in collecting fuch a fup- 

 port as might juftify the favourable opinion that had been 

 formed of him. Accordingly, on the meeting of the AfTem- 

 bly, though a mod refpecrable clergyman was named as the 

 other candidate, Dr Drysdale, by a very great majority of 

 votes, was feated a fecond time in the Moderator's chair. 



This was the laft great exertion which he made. His 

 friend Dr Robertson had, fome years before, declined all 

 concern in the public affairs of the Church ; iince which time 

 it was fuppofed, that Dr Drysdale poilefled more influence 

 among his brethren than any other individual ; and this A {Terri- 

 bly afforded a clear proof of it. No perfon had appeared fb 

 eloquent, or poiTeffed of talents fo fit for a leader in the Aflem- 

 bly. as Dr Robertson. But after he withdrew, the conduct 

 of the debates in rhat houfe fecmed to be Ihared among a num- 

 ber of fpeakers ; and while the claim of no fingle perfon was 

 admitted to be the oftenfihle leader, it was well known, that 

 the prudence and the influence of Dr Drysdale had the great- 



i eft 



