He
had already afforded evidence of ability to grapple with questions of
controversial theology, by printing a tract against the errors of
Socinianism, which, published anonymously, attracted in the city of
Liverpool much attention from the originality with which the usual
arguments were illustrated and enforced. Of the concluding five years of
his academical course, the first and two last were spent at the
University of Edinburgh, the other two at that of Glasgow. In 1797, he
was enrolled as a member of the Speculative Society of the University of
Edinburgh, and there took his turn in debate with Henry Brougham,
Francis Horner, Lord Henry Petty afterwards Marquis of Lansdowne, and
other young men of genius, who then adorned the academic halls of the
Scottish capital. With John Leyden, W. Gillespie afterwards minister of
Kells, and Robert Lundie the future minister of Kelso, he formed habits
of particular intimacy. From the Presbytery of Dumfries, he obtained
licence as a probationer in the spring of 1798, and he thereafter
accepted the situation of tutor in the family of Colonel Erskine
afterwards Earl of Mar, who then resided at Dalhonzie, near Crieff. In
this post he distinguished himself by inducing the inhabitants of the
district to take up arms in the defence of the country, during the
excitement, which then prevailed respecting an invasion.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186