1804.] 
ing nearly completed her 82d year, Mrs. . 
Acott, relict of the late Mr. John Scott, fur- 
veyor. Refting on the confolations of a fin- 
cere religious faith, this excellent woman 
fupported a jong and painful illnefs with ex- 
emplary fortitude; and clofed a valuable, 
lengthened, life, in pious refignation and 
humble confidence, 
At Cornhill, near Coldftream, on his way 
to Mr. Puchan’s, of Kelfo, near Dunfe, after 
a few minutes illnefs, of a fecond attack of 
the fit with which he was a few weeks fince 
feized in London, Lord Vifcount Duncan, Ad- 
miral of the White. He was a younger fon 
of Mr. Duncan, of Lundie, in Perthshire, the 
eprefentative of an ancient family, much ho- 
Noured in that part of the kingdom. He 
was born on the ift-of July, 1731. After 
receiving a liberal education, he entered, at 
an early age, into the naval fervice, and was 
prefent as midfhipman and as lieutenant in 
feveral of the moft gallant and fuccefsful 
actions, inthe war of 1756. Mr. Duncan 
was promoted, on the 25th of February, 1761, 
to the rank of poft-captain. In the war with 
America, he fervea as captain on-board the 
flag-thip of Admiral Keppel, whofe particular 
efteem and patronage he had obtained, by his 
gallant condu€t and amiable charaéter. The 
Captain married a daughter of the ‘ate Lord 
Prefident Dundas, niece to Lord Melville, 
elder fifter to the prefent Secretary-at War. 
With this lady he lived, in great domeftic 
felicity, at Edinburgh, fuperintending the 
education of his children, and enjoying the 
high efteem of all who were moft refpedtable 
in that capital, in the interval between the 
American war and the lait unfortunate war 
with France. On the 24th of September, 
1787, Captain Duncan was advanced to the’ 
rank of rear-admiral. He was made a vice- 
admiral in 1793. In 1795 he became, in the 
courfe of promotion, one of the admirals of 
the blue. He was then called to the com- 
mand of the fleet ating off the Texel againft 
the Dutch, and hoifted his flag on-board the 
Venerable. He had the mortification to fee 
the mutiny extend, in June 1797, to almoft 
all the feamen of the fhips under his com- 
mand. But they {till refpeéted his perfon, 
his feaman-like gallantry and franknefs, his 
calm intrepidity, his modcft good fenfe and 
worth. At the moft critical moment of the 
mutiny, he addrefied them, ina fhort fpeech, 
manly, plain, and pathetic; in fact, one of 
the beft ever uttered by a failor on fuch an 
gccafion, and which operated with extraor- 
& 
Account of the late Admiral Lord Duncan. 
169 
dinary effect, in tranquillizing the feamen, 
and bringing them back to due obedience. 
Soon after, on the 11th of Oétober, the 
Dutch fleet ventured out from the Texel; 
Admiral Duncan difpofed his fquadron fo as 
to prevent their immediate retreat; they 
were brought to an engagement ; the zreat 
ation “between Egmont and Camperdown 
was fought, and one of the moft glorious 
victories in the annals of naval heroifm was 
gained. His country, then, did juftice to 
his merits. On the 21ft of O€tober, 1797, 
Admiral Duncan was raifed to the dignity of 
the Britifh peerage, with the title of Lord 
Vifcount Duncan, Baron of Lundie He 
had before, on the death of his elder brother, 
Colonel Duncan, fucceeded to the family in- 
heritance of Lundie. Parliament, upon a 
propofition from his Majefty, alfo fettled a 
penfion of 20001. a-year on Lord Duncan, to 
be continued to the two next heirs to his ti- 
tles. His Lordthip has fince foent fume years 
in virtuous and happy retirement; not with- 
out having to mourn fome fevere family af. 
flifions, nor without many fources of {weet 
doméftic fatisfaétion. He had come to Lone 
don, this fummer, at the perfuafion of his. 
relation, Lord Melville, with a view to ree 
turn, in this crifis, to fome eminent public 
command. He was too mucha good man, to 
refufe to devote the Jaf hours of his life to 
the fervice of his country. But his health 
was fenfibly impaired: he had lately a fudden 
affe€tion, very fimilar to a ftroke of apoplexy. 
He haftened down to his family and friends 
in Scotland. On his journey he met that 
ftroke of death, for which asa hero, a Chrif- 
tian, a man who had enjoyed the glories and 
comforts of this world, and had, in the lois 
of fome of his children, felt its affli@ions, 
he was not unprepared. ‘* Now, O Lord,® 
might he fay, ‘¢ lettett thou thy fervant de- 
part in peace!” It would, perhaps, be difie 
cult to find in modern hiftory another man, 
in whom, with fo much meeknefs. modefty, 
and unaffected dignity of mind, were united 
fo much genuine fpiric, fo much of the fkiil 
and fire of profefiional genius; fuch vigce 
rous, active, civil wifgom ; fuch alacrity and 
ability for great achievements with fuch ene 
tire indifference for their fuccefs, except fo 
far as it might contribute to the good of his 
country. Lord Duncan was tall, above the 
middle fize, and of an athletic and finely pro~ 
portioned figure. His countenance was 
thought to be remarkably expreffive of the 
ingenvous excellencies of his mind. 
PROVINCIAL 
