1805.) ( 
4) ” b 
MEMOIRS OF EMINENT PERSONS. 
—— 
THE EARL OF ROSSLYN. 
‘6 Tlufo Lumine Solem.” 
C' the life of this nobleman were drawn 
up with acccuracy and minutenefs, it 
would not only throw great light on the 
laft thirty years of our domeftic and poli- 
tical hiftory, but furnifh ample inftruétion 
and amulfement to the young lawyers and 
ftatefmen of the prefent day. Had his 
Lordfhip, in imitation of three celebrated 
men of our own times, (Bubb Dodding- 
ton, afterwards Lord Melcombe, J. J. 
Rouffeau, and Dr. Franklin), condefcend- 
ed to have kept either a diary of his tranf- 
actions, or left behind him a biographical 
fketch.of his own habits, manners, and 
purfuits, fuch a volume would have 
proved a moit valuable acquifition to the 
literature of our age and country, while 
it muft have afforded a valuable and in- 
fiructive legacy to pofterity. 
The Wedderburns were originally fet- 
tled on the borders between England and 
Scotland; for, according to the cuftcm of 
remote periods, they either originally con- 
ferred or received their appellation from 
the barony of the fame name, in the fhire 
of Berwick. They afierwards fpread 
over the counties of Forfar and Hadding- 
ton, where they appear to have acquired 
confiderable property, and one of them 
acquired a patent of Baronetage in 167+. 
Sir Peter Wedderburn, Bart. his Lord- 
fhip’s great grandfather, was bred to the 
Scottifh bar, and having been appointed 
a Lord of Seffion, during the reign of 
Charles II. affumed the title of Lod 
Gofsford, on his elevation, in compliance 
wih the praétice of the times, fiom an 
efiate, with that name, which he bappened 
to poffefs. His-eldeft fon was a Privy 
Counfelior, and Member of Parliament 
for Haddingtonfhire; his fecond, Peter, 
married the heirefs of Halkett; his third, 
Alexander, became a member of the fa- 
culty of advocates, and having exerted 
him(e!f.in favour of the union, received, 
by way of recompence, an appointment as 
a Commiffioner of Excife. 
Peter Wedderburn, the fon of this 
youngeft brother, was father of the Earl 
of Rofslyn. Like moft of his anceftors, 
he was bred to the Scottifh bar, at which 
having praétifed, for fome years, with 
confiderable reputation as an advocate, in 
1755, he was appointed a Lord of Sefiion, 
by George II. and died Auguftii, 1756. 
Alexander Wedderburn, his eldeft fon, 
‘Montrary Mag. Na. 125. 
: \ 
“and the fubje& of this memoir, was born 
February 13, 1733. His mother, whofe 
maiden name was Ogilvie, attained a 
great age; and lived until the enjoyed a 
certain profpect of his advancement ‘0 
the higheft offices in the ftate : in addition 
to the care and attention of this parent, 
he alfo pofleffed the advantegé refulting . 
from the fuperintendance of a father, un- 
til the period when his {tudies were com- 
pleted. | 
In a country where the peafantry pof- 
fels nearly the fame means of optaining a 
good education as the peerage, 1t may be 
eafily {uppofed that young Wedderburn 
was enabled to purfue thofe liberal fiudies, 
which not only embellith the mind, but 
fit a young man of ports for what are - 
termed the learned proteffions. Bred in 
a capital, defignated by Jobnfon ‘asa 
hot-bed of genius,”” he was allo matricu- 
lated in an oniverfity which fill preferves 
its ancient celebrity. In addition ta tntsy - 
he was lucky in affociating with young 
men who alpired after fame and prefer- 
ment: with Robertfen, who alterwards 
excelled as a divine and hiftorian; with 
Blair, who diftinguifhed bimlelf by his 
eloquence; with Home, who, driven from 
the Scottith pulpit for writing a play, may 
xe faid to have taken refuge on the fage 5. 
and with Adam Ferguffen, a name that 
will be long reipected and ‘revered. 
The period had now arrived when Mr. 
Wedderburn was to determine on his fu- 
ture profpeéts in life... Ris brother David*. ~ 
had already decided for the military pro- 
feffion, in whicly ke afterwards attained 
confiderable rank; and he himfelf, after 
due confideration, refolved on the &udy of 
the law; which his immediate anceltors 
had purfued, with fuccefs, during feveral 
generations. He, doubtlels, expected to 
be inveted with the ermined robe worn 
by his father, grandiathe:, ~and great- | 
grandiather; and this, ory at molt, the 
* At the end of a fhort period, he ob- 
tained the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 22d 
regiment of foot, and, in 1770, was appointed 
to command the Eaft India Company’s forces 
at Bombay, with the rank of Brigadier-Ge- 
mneral, After refiding three years in this ca- 
pacity, he was killed at the redu¢tion of Ba- 
reach, December 3, 1773. A faithful black 
feryant returned to England, and refided 
many years in the family of his furviving 
brothe;. 
F | office 
