Obituary Notices. 
xvn 
Edward Sang. By D. Brnce Peebles. 
(Read May 17, 1897.) 
In the latter half of the seventeenth century a farmer of the 
name of Sang lived in Aberdeenshire, of whom little is known. 
But we know that he had a family, and that his youngest son, 
Robert, was horn in 1700, and in course of time married Margaret 
Mitchell, who was an exceptionally clever woman. There is no 
record of what position he occupied or what business he followed, 
but very likely it was farming or gardening. He died in 1793, 
aged 93 years. His son, David, was horn in 1749. He was a 
gardener, and married Mary Chalmers, a daughter of Dr Chalmers 
of Stonehaven. 
Edward, one of his sons, left home when quite young, and 
settled in Kirkcaldy as a market gardener. He gradually extended 
his business, and ultimately became a nurseryman and seedsman. 
In his spare hours he managed by himself to acquire a good know- 
ledge of Greek and Latin, and the difficulties he must have met 
with no doubt impressed strongly on his mind the advantage of 
having a good teacher. Business prospered with him, and he 
married Jean Nicol, a relative of Nicol whose prism is so well 
known. While giving attention to his business, he must have 
taken a good deal of interest in municipal affairs, as he was elected 
Provost of Kirkcaldy, a position he held for a number of years. 
His son, Edward, our late Fellow, was born on the 30th of 
January 1805. When he got to the age of seven years it was 
thought that he should be sent to school. But there were no 
schools in Kirkcaldy of very high standing at that time, and 
Provost Sang, along with other gentlemen, started a subscription 
school in 1812, and engaged Edward Irving as headmaster. 
After doing so it was natural that they should do what lay in 
their power to provide pupils for the new school, so we find that 
three of the Sang family, David, Edward, and their sister, were 
placed with Irving. The promoters were not wrong in their choice 
of a teacher, for Irving was a thoroughly able and conscientious 
