LIFE of Dr BLACK. 10 



j 



together with a great fimplicity of heart in himfelf, had a glow- 

 ing fenfe of modeft merit in others, and a partiality alfo for the 

 manners and institutions of the Britifh nations, which he 

 thought Angularly happy, and in refpec"l of which, he willingly 

 liftened to any important details. On being made acquainted 

 with Black's intention of leaving Bourdeaux, he wrote to him 

 a letter, in which, with other expreflions of kindnefs, are the fol- 

 lowing : " I cannot be reconciled to the thoughts of your leaving 

 " Bourdeaux. I lofe the mod agreeable pleafure I had, that of 

 " feeing you often, and forgetting myfelf with you *.'* 



A few years before Mr Black retired from bufinefs, his fon 

 Joseph, in the year 1740, being about twelve years of age, was 

 fent home in order to have the education of a Britifh fubject ', 

 and having, for fome years, gone to fchool at Belfaft, or its 

 neighbourhood, was fent to continue his education at Glafgow 

 College, where he pafTed through the ordinary courfe of prepa- 

 ration for any of the learned profeffions to which he might de- 

 vote himfelf; and upon his father's requiring him to make a 

 choice, he took to medicine, as agreeable to the habit of phyficat 

 ftudies which he had already acquired. 



In entering on this purfuit, he became connected with the 

 celebrated William Cullen, M. D. then ProfefTor of Medicine 

 at Glafgow, and was diflinguifhed through life by this inge- 

 nious man with an uncommon degree of friendfhip and confi- 

 dence, which he did not fail to acknowledge and to return. In 

 continuing the fame ftudies afterwards at Edinburgh, he, as well 

 as Adam Ferguson, lived with their relation James Russel, 

 whofe lingular correctnefs, and precifion of thought, in various 

 branches of fcience, could not fail to be of ufe to all who ap- 

 proached him. 



Vol. V.— -P. III. O Before 



* " Je ne me fais point a l'idee de vous voir quitter Bourdeaux. Je perds Ie 

 " plaiiir le plus agreable que j'eufle, qui etoit de vous voir fouvent, et de m'ou- 

 ** blier avee vous." 



