1809.] 
from the Siege of Berwick, to the Siege of 
Aquileia, for he very naturally conceived, 
that any national allusions might tend to fo- 
ment the jealousy which then unfortunately 
subsisted between the Scots and English. It 
was actedin 1759, Some of the passages are 
very fine, but upon the whole, it is a tame 
performance. The Fatal Discovery was pro- 
duced in 1769, and reluctantly permitted 
during niné nights. Though Alonzo had the 
advantage of Mrs. Barry’s admirable acting, 
it shared the same fate; the author mentions 
in his preface, that she received applause 
greater than ever shook a theatre. Mr. 
Home's last production, Alfred, lived only 
three nights. Inthe year 1760, Mr. Home 
published a volume of plays, containing 
Agis, Douglas, and the Siege of Aquileia, 
which he dedicated to his present Majesty, 
then Prince of Wales. His other three tra- 
gedies appeared some time after. The whole 
were collected and edited in two volumes at 
Edinburgh, in 1798, under the inspection of 
the late Mr. Woods. Lord Bute having 
represented Mr, Home to his Majesty as a 
man of talents, his name was placed on the 
pension list, nearly at the same time with 
that of Dr. Johnson. He lived in a state of 
retirement from this period to the time of his 
death. Nearly halfa century after Douglas 
had been written, when the author had re- 
turned to, and was settled in his native coun 
try, Master Betty, better known by the 
name of the young Roscius, commenced his 
theatrical labours at Edinburgh, in the cha- 
racter of young Norval. ‘The author attended 
the representation, and declared that, that 
was the first time he had ever seen the part 
of Douglas played according to his ideas of the 
character when he conceived and wrote it. 
Mr. Home, at the advanced age of seventy~ 
eight, published his long meditated work, 
entitled, “* The History of the Rebellion in 
Scotland, in 1745 6,” in which he recorded 
the exploits and remarks of his youth. Of 
this work it is sufficient to observe, that the 
principles are just, and the opinions liberal. 
For aconsiderable time prior to his death, 
Mr. Home’s mind, as well as body, seemed 
to be much impaired. He lived in the most 
secluded manner, so much so, that the house 
he inhabited had all the marks of a deserted 
dwelling. So long as he continued to possess 
sufficient strength, he used to walk for a 
certain sime every day; the most acute phy- 
siognomist, however, who.met him, could 
scarcely have traced any remains of the au- 
thor of Douglas. He seemed to pay no at- 
tention to what was passing, and to possess 
Jittle more than mere existence. In. this 
distressful state, he lingered for many years, 
He died at Merchiston house, on the 4th of 
September 1868, in the 85ch year of his.age. 
A life so little varied by incident as that of 
Mr. Home, affords few materials for perso- 
nal character. With a mind well stored with 
useful and ornamental knowledge, he appears 
at an carly age to have cultivated an acquaint- 
Account of the tate Dr.sJames Anderson. 
207 
ance with the most celebrated literary charace 
ters of his time. Fidelity fo his friends, and 
generosity to his enemies, were conspicuous 
traits in his character. If, im his declining 
years, his temper appeared to be soured and 
morose, and his manners harsh and uninvie 
ting, we must attribute ic to the infirmity : 
old age, rather than to original disposition, 
As a clergyman, he attached himself to that 
party in the church, who, enlightened in 
their views, and liberal in their sentiments, 
present their hearers with a rational view of 
the doctrines of Christianity. Divesting re- 
ligion of unmeaning mystery, and checking 
the spirit of superstitious bigotry, he appears 
to have performed his ministerial duty with 
that fidelity and attention which endeared 
him to his peogle, and which their conduct 
at his resignation abundantly testified. Asa 
man of Letters, he will be known to poste-» 
rity by his tragedies, and especially by his 
<¢ Douglas,” which will probably retain a - 
place zmong the most approved compositions — 
of that class, and will long, comiinue to de- — 
light and interest a British audience, 
{ Further particulars of Dr. ames Andersony 
of whom some account is given at p. 485, of our 
last volume.| James Anderson was born © 
about the year 1739, at Hermiston, a vil- 
lage about six miles from Edinburgh, of pa- 
rents who succeeded their forefathers for se- 
veral generations in cultivating the same land, 
Nothing remarkable is known of them: they 
were a family of respectable farmers; and 
our author may be said to have inhaled with 
his fixst breath, that spirit of agricultural 
knowledge for which he became so distin-’ 
guished. In his. boyish years he formed an 
intimacy, which remained. uninterrupted till 
his death, with his kinsman and namesake, 
the present James Anderson, M.D. physi- 
cian General at Madras: born in the same 
village, they went to school together, learnt 
the same task, fought each others battles, 
and joined in the same amusements; this 
early association produced a similarity in 
their future pursuits, the one being no less 
eminent in India than the other has been in 
Europe, for a patriotic life and exertions for 
the benefit of mankind in general. They 
kept up a constant correspondence, and com- 
muncated to each other their various produc- 
tions and discoveries. Having been deprived 
of both his parents while yet very young, it 
was the wish of his guardian that he should 
occupy the paternal farm when old enough 
to undertake such a charge; and as much 
learning was not thought necessary for a 
farmer, young Anderson wag discouraged by . 
his friends from prosecuting his studies be= 
yond a cummon school education; but that 
decision and firmness which were throughout 
his life the most conspicuous features of his 
character, now began to appear, and he dis- 
played a resolution to judge and act tor hime 
self. He informs us,* that having read 
# Sec vol. i. p. 50, 
§§ Home's, 
wes 
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