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1807.]

MEMOIRS OF REMARKABLE PERSONS.

REV. HUGH MOISES.

knowledge, that he contrived to inter

To pay the tribute of gratitude to sperse his lessons in the classics with

the memory of departed worth information so various, apposite, and is the most pleasing employment of a amusing, that no boy who had a taste rational mind; with this feeling I at- for instruction could enjoy a higher tempt to delineate the character of a treat, than that which in most other man of whom no notice has yet been schools is no more than a dull and taken in your excellent Magazine. It mere mechanical drudgery.-For seis an ungrateful truth, that a man's ven years of my life, I listened with fame in the world is not always in delight to his apt and elegant illustraproportion to his usefulness, and this tions of the first-rate classics, nor did remark is particularly applicable to I ever hear a lecture at the University those who have faithfully discharged that could bear any comparison with the office of a schoolmaster; in that his common school lessons, which dedepartment of life, perhaps, not one rived, I believe, their greatest charms ever to be from the easy, friendly, and familiar more meritorious was found than the subject of this me- air with which they were delivered. moir, the late Rev. Hugh Moises, for- The grammar-school at Newcastle, merly master of the Grammar School during his time, was in such repute, in Newcastle. Of his birth and pa- that few gentlemen, either in the town rentage, I am little informed; he was or county, thought of sending their born, I believe, in the year 1722, was sons to any other; yet, from the right a scholar of Trinity College, Cam- which the freemen possess of sending their children for half price, it conbridge, and a fellow at Peterhouse ;but these things are of trifling mo- tinued a motley mixture of all ranks, ment, compared with the virtues and a disadvantage which nothing but the talents, which it is my duty to record, fame of Mr. Moises could have overDuring the course of three-and-thirty come, and his excellent management years, in which he was a school-mas- have rendered tolerable; for he poster, he never once lost his temper, sessed such an authority in the school nor forgot that he was a gentleman: and was so much revered, that even he was not what might be called a the rudest of the vulgar were civiprofound scholar, if, by that, is meant lized and submissive when they came to be acquainted with all the niceties under him (for there were three masof grammar, or the minutiae of pro- ters in the school, of which he was the sody, but he was able to read every first); and every one, though he might Greek and Latin classic with ease and not learn Greek and Latin, was sure fluency, and to convey a knowledge to learn something, or if not it was his of their different merits to those whom own fault. The means, by which this he instructed; and his acquaintance excellent man preserved his authowith English literature was various rity, were not those of harshness and and extensive, but divinity was his severity, but by gentleness and affecchief and principal study. He had tionate kindness, tempered with digthe greatest pleasure, therefore, in nity and moderation; as he constantly those among his scholars who were kept the best company in the town intended for the sacred ministry; yet, and its vicinity, his address was that he was by no means inattentive to the of a polished gentleman of the old rest, and if he found he could not school; and if he was accused of being make a boy a good scholar, he en- sometimes too prone to flatter, he did deavoured, at least, to make him a it from no mean or interested motive, good man, and they must have been but from a benevolent desire to make dull of heart and slow of head, who people pleased with themselves; for he could leave their lesson without hav- was equally given to compliment the ing derived from it some instruction lowest tradesman and first gentleman and some amusement,-for such was of his acquaintance. To the harsh his happy talent for imparting his correctives of caning and flo_ging he

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never resorted, for he used to say that in view, in the instruction of his pu a bo, who could not be taught with- pils, was to give them what he consiout them was not worth teaching, but dered sound principles, in religion, of the more amiable methods of praise government, and morality.—To imand conciliation he was a thorough press them with the first, his constant master, and it was chiefly by these practice was to begin the day with that he formed so many good scholars. prayers, which he delivered extemHe generally had a set at the top of the pore, on his first entering the school, school whom he called his "white and after that, one of the senior boys boys," and of these not a few have dis- read a chapter in the English Testatinguished themselves in the world ment; two or three chapters in the for their learning and virtues; to be Greek Testament were then construed, noted by this enviable distinction was which he endeavoured to explain, the aim of every boy who had any both as to the language and the sense, spirit of emulation, or love of praise: and enforce their meaning by exhorit was a custom with him to lend these tation and advice, and here he geneboys books from his own private li- rally took occasion to express his senbrary, and thus excite in them a love timents on the prevailing practices of of reading beyond the common rou- the world, and to contrast them with tine of school hours, and they were the purity of christianity; and among generally such books as he had occa- other topics of most serious moment,he sion to speak of in illustrating the was particularly eloquent in declaimclassics which they read to him. If ing against the enormities committed he had a fault, and a fault it certainly in the East and West Indies, which he was, it was that of pushing the upper used frequently to say, "would weigh boys through too many books, and down this country like a talent of lead some too difficult for their age and in the sea of perdition." Let it be comprehension, by which they were remarked, that these admonitions in danger of reading more than they were not addressed to children, but to could digest, and it sometimes, indeed, so happened.

young men from fifteen to seventeen or eighteen years of age, who were The present Sir W. Scott, he put just beginning to think, and to form into Lycophron at thirteen, and at their opinions on the world which was fifteen he advised him to be sent to opening to their view, and into which the University, which was contrary to they were preparing to make their enhis general rule, for he always wished trance.-The classics afforded this that boys should be kept long at most excellent preceptor constant opschool and his reason for it was, that portunities of enforcing his opinions they might be well grounded and con- on government and morality, and firmed in virtuous principles, before shewing how the greatest states had they encountered the dangers and been reduced to insignificance by temptations of the world. But this profligacy and degeneracy, and that young man he considered so prema- the excellence of the British constitu ture in every virtuous and learned at- tion could only be preserved by an tainment, that he had no fear of trust- adherence to (what he conceived) its ing him to a University, even at so priginal principles; though I must early a period, The great secret by not disguise that he had a considerawhich he acquired the affection of his ble leaning to toryism: he was a scholars and induced them to attend greater friend to prerogative than to to his instructions, was the interest liberty, and in his notions of church which he seemed to take, and really government a rigid episcopalian, and did take in their welfare. His lessons yet no man expressed himself with and advice were not delivered with greater indignation against the enthe cold and severe authority of a pe- croachments of arbitrary power, dagogue, but with the warmth and the secret inroads of corruption and earnestness of a father or a friend, and venality. Though he has by some hence it was impossible not to receive been accused of giving his pupils a the good which he intended. distaste for every thing but classical The purpose which he had chiefly learning, he was no euemy to the

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severer pursuits of metaphysics or ma- the selfishness of his impatient suc thematics; yet it is true, he had no re- cessor; and, though he might have lish for them himself, and never ad- held it to the end of his life, yet when mitted more than their comparative he found that the possession of it was utility. He was, therefore, fond of grudged him, he gave it up, and when quoting the celebrated passage of I once ventured to blame him for so Johnson, in his Life of Milton, where doing, he replied to me with the spirit he exalts the study of morality above of an ancient Roman, No, Sir, L that of nature. could never have enjoyed in comfort Translations he never permitted, what I saw another man envied me; and used often to say, that one page and now that i have resigned it, here ĺ of "immaculate Greek" well con- am the happiest man alive, upon my strued was worth whole volumes got two hundred a year." The principle of by translations; and to those whom moral rectitude was never more stronghe particularly wished to make good ly implanted in any human breast, and Grecians, he used to give an old edi- no man, I believe, ever acted more tion of a classic with all the contrac- consistently with all that he believed tions and set them to fag it out till and professed. Religion was in him, they were fairly at a stand, and then not merely a habit or a prejudice, but they came to him for an explanation. a vital principle which continually One of the books he prized most urged him to do all the good in his highly was Plutarch's Morals, and of power, and to live in conformity with this he generally selected the best the precepts of him whom he believed treatises for his most favoured boys, to be his Divine Master: and, to the before they went to the University. end of his life, he divided his time beThough it must not be denied that he tween meditation and practice, nor had his faults, they were few in compa- ever suffered the one to make him rison of his merits, and they were ra- lose sight of the other. He was a ther the faults of the times in which he man not much conversant in the afwas born and brought up, than the fairs of the world; he neither underfaults of his disposition or heart; for stood nor wished to understand the though an excellent teacher of esta-tricks and intrigues of men in their blished opinions, he was not possessed dealings with each other, yet his be of that elevation of mind which ena- haviour and address were those of a bles a man to look down upon the fo- highly polished man; and he esti lies and weaknesses of his ancestors, mated at a very high rate the decorum and take a new road for the instruc of civilized society. He was a gentletion of posterity. And though I am man and a scholar, and, as such, emiwilling to confess that I have learnt nently qualified for the instruction of much from him which I have re- youth. tained, and wish to retain, to the end of my existence, I have had much to unlearn, which I should have been better without; and this brings me now to consider his general character as a man, and few men there ever were of my acquaintance whose conduct and principles I more thoroughly admire; for one more virtuous and independent in both I believe hardly ever existed. The smiles or the frowns of the great he regarded with equal contempt, and rather than stoop to any mean or servile compliances for the sake of interest or preferment, he spent a life extended beyond the common lot of mortality, in an honourable mediocrity of fortune. It is true, he was once in possession of a valuable iving, but he resigned it to gratify

No man ever enjoyed society more than he did, nor more frequently, considering his employment; he regularly dined out, or had company, three days in the week, supped out the three other, and devoted the seventh to the offices of religion: by these means he preserved a constant flow of health and spirits, and though such a mode of living might not suit every man, it suited him, for he has often told me that he had been fighting all his life against low spirits, and succeeded in conquering them only by good living and constant exercise. He generally drank a bottle of wine a day, sometimes less, and seldom more; he rose constantly in summer at five, in winter at six, and seldom walked or rode less than three hours in the course

[To be continued.]

MICHALL ADANSON, Member of the late French Academy of Sciences, and of the National Institute, died at Paris, at the end of the Year 1806.

of the twenty-four; and thus he pre- with these scientific discoveries, he served his life to the eighty-sixth year likewise wished to exert himself for in the full enjoyment of all his facul- the promotion of the interests of the ties, bodily and mental. No man had arts and of commerce. In consequence greater faith in the inspiration of the of this revolution, he made excursions bottle, and no man more abhorred a and visited the most fertile and best water-drinker or a drunkard: he pre- situated parts of Senegal, with a view served himself the golden medium in of drawing a map of the country; pur all things,and constantly recommended sued the course of the Nigh, thinking it to others; he used often to say, that that a suitable place for a colony; surno man could write or compose well, veyed a district of seven leagues, on either in poetry or prose, under a pint the map of which he marked the woods, of wine, with more he might be in salt-springs, lakes, &c. His researches danger of writing nonsense, with less led him to the discovery of the two he might be in danger of being dull. genuine Arabic gums; and, after numerous experiments, he succeeded in extracting from the indigenous indigo plant of Senegal, which differs from valuable discovery, which had escaped the American, a sky-blue colour,-a the most expert indigo manufacturers which the French East-India company HIS celebrated traveller was born had at different times sent to Senegal. Tat Ais, in Prevener, and finished the year 1795, Mr. Adanson, by the his education at Paris, in the colleges desire of that company, drew up a plan of St. Barbe and Plessis; here he ob- for the formation of a colony for the tained the first prizes in Greek and purpose of deriving greater advantages Latin poetry, on which occasion he from that country; in which he was presented with the works of Pliuy shewed, that the culture of indigo, and Aristotle; and it is probable the cotton, tobacco, rice, coffee, pepper, reading of these two authors contri- ginger, and the spices of the Malacca buted towards the developement of Islands, might, by the heat of the clihis taste for natural history, with which mate, be brought to an uncommon he was occupied during the whole of degree of perfection. He likewise shewhis life. So early as the year 1740, ed that, by a proper conduct towards when scarcely thirteen years of age, the kings of Galam and Bambuk, he had written some important notes permission might be easily obtained on the ancient naturalists; but he to work the gold mines of this country, soon relinquished books for the pur- which were more productive than pose of searching for the laws of na- those of Mexico or Peru; that they ture in existence. At that time, would yield an annual produce of naturalists confined the catalogue of from ten to twelve millions of livres, species to 142.1500; but to him, his or even in cases of necessity three collection of 38,000 seemed still too times that sum; that the gums would defective: being resolved to complete produce from eight to fourteen milit, he found himself under the neces- lions; the trade in negroes, wax, senna 'sity of travelling, particularly to Afri- leaves, dye woods, salt, raw hides, ca. Accordingly, in 1748, he sailed maize, &c. seven or eight millions: for Senegal. In 1749, he visited the this plan, however, was not carried Canary Islands, and transmitted an ac- into execution. On the 6th October, count of his discoveries to the Aca- 1753, Mr. Adanson returned from Sedemy of Sciences, which, in 1750, negal to France, with an immense colelected him one of its corresponding lection of philosophical, moral, polimembers. In Senegal, that rich, but tical, and economical observations on at that time little known country, he the government of the different nations discovered, during a residence of five whose countrics he had visited, and years, by his unwearied exertions and with observations on almost 30,000 observations, an immense number of non-descript natural productions, natural productions, which had not which with the 33,000 before known been before described. But not satisfied to him, gave to natural history a basis

of 63,000 species, which, as afterwards self, whose seventeen years services he frequently informed his friends, obtained only a pitiful pension of 2000 was increased to above 90,000. Soon livres. This disappointment was the after his return from Senegal, he was more sensibly felt by Adanson, as he appointed by Louis XV. to be super- believed that possession of that place intendant of the botanic garden at would have greatly facilitated the Trianon, with the title of Royal Natu- publishing an Encyclopædia of Natu ralist, and soon after admitted a mem- ral History, in 120 volumes, and with ber of the Academy of Sciences, in 75,000 figures, in the compiling of the third class, as Adjunct Botanist; which he was then engaged. On the and the history of the academy bears 15th of February, 1775, he laid before testimony to the zealous activity with the academy the plan of this work, of which he contributed toward the pro- which, the committee appointed to motion of the science; when he was examine it, gave a very favourable reinvited, in 1760, by the Emperor to port. He continued to flatter himself Louvaine, for the purpose of erecting with the hope of seeing this plan put an academy of natural history ac- in execution, till the revolution encording to his plan; he was at the tirely annihilated it. In 1779, he unsame time honoured by a letter from dertook a journey to the highest the great Linnæus, offering him a mountains of Europe; whence he replace in the academy of Upsal, which turned with more than 20,000 specihe declined. In the following year a mens of minerals, and drawings of proposal of quite a different nature more than 1,200 leagues of mountaincame from England, which, as tend- ous tracts. At a late period, though ing to the disadvantage of his country, already oppressed with infirmities of he rejected with indignation. After old age, he offered to accompany Peythe capture of Senegal by the English, rouse in his voyage round the world; Lord North, who was deeply interested but his offer was not accepted. Being in the trade of the English African in possession of one of the richest cacompany, sent Mr. Cumming, who binets, which contained at least 65,000 next to his Lordship had the greatest species belonging to the three kingshare of it, to Mr. Adanson, for the doms of nature, he had applied for a purpose of obtaining from him, if not sufficient place in the Louvre to conthe originals, at least copies of his tain those treasures, consisting of the papers on the productions and trade specimens themselves, of plates, and of Senegal. In 1762, by desire of M. descriptions; but instead of it, obChoiseul, he employed his talents for tained only an additional pension of the benefit of his country, by drawing 1,800 livres; nor did he succeed to the up a plan for the new regulations of full pension of the academy till the the colonies of Cayenne and Guiana, death of Fougerour in 1789. At the and another for Goree; for which im- beginning of the revolution, his exportant services, however, he received perimental garden, in which he culno reward. In 1766, very advantageous tivated 190 species of mulberry-trees, offers were made to him by the Em- was laid waste by the plunderers; still press of Russia, to induce him to settle more, however, was he grieved at the at St. Petersburg, as member of the total extinction of the hope he had academy, and professor of natural his- entertained of collecting his numerous tory; but these offers, as well as a prior observations and the results of so much invitation of the same kind from the labour in the above-mentioned Encyking of Spain, were declined. In 1767, clopædia. His income was now much he undertook a journey at his own ex- reduced, and for want of fuel and pense to Normandy and Brittany, the candles, he was obliged to suspend his object of which was an investigation studies during the long winter nights. of the natural history of those pro- Some relief was afforded him by the vinces. He continued to pursue his minister Beneyech; and still more,favourite studies with undisturbed as much indeed as in those melantranquillity, till, in the year 1775, he choly times could be done,-by Behad the mortification of seeing the re- neyech's successor, Francois de Neutversion of Buffon's place given to M. chateau, whose friendship for him did de Angivillier in preference to him- not cease when he no longer held the

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