Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

attended to the subject, a greater number were disposed to agree with him as to the beauty of the Poems, than as to their authenticity. At the head of this set of critics was Dr. Johnson, who in his "Journey to the Western Islands," strenuously maintained their being altogether a forgery. Mr. Macpherson, the pretended translator, carefully reserved his latent claims to the rank and merit of an original poet, and did not conceal from those with whom he was particularly intimate, that the poems were entirely his own composition."

In 1773, it fell to his share to form the first uniform edition of the Works of the British Poets, which appeared in these kingdoms, printed at Edinburgh, in 42 vols. 12ino. for Messrs. Creech and Belfour. The elegance of this edition is no compensation for its incompleteness; the contracted list of authors, marked out by the editor, including none of those who have been denominated our older classics, except Milton and Cowley. His industry and taste were also exercised, about this time, in superintending an edition of the Works of Shakspeare, printed at Edinburgh, by Martin and Wotherspoon, in 10 vols. 12mo

Though his productions for the pulpit had long furnished instruction and delight to his own congregation, yet it was not till the year 1777 that he gave to the world the first volume of his Sermons, which was printed at London in 8vo. for Messrs. Strahan and Cadell, London, and had a very extensive sale.

It is remarkable, that when he transmitted his manuscript to Mr. Strahan the printer, after keeping it by him for some time, he wrote a letter to him, declining the publication. Having, however, sent one of the sermons to Dr. Johnson, for the sake of his opinion, he received from him, after the unfavourable letter was despatched, the fo!lowing note:

"I have read over Dr. Blair's first Sermon with more than approbation; to say it is good, it is to say too little. It is excellently written, both as to doctrine and language."t

Soon after, Mr. Strahan had a conversation with Dr. Johnson concerning the publication, and very candidly wrote again to Dr Blair, enclosing Dr. Johnson's note, and agreeing to purchase the volume for one hundred pounds.

This volume of discourses was followed, at different intervals, by three other volumes, each succeeding volume increasing the sale of the former volumes. One hundred pounds were given for the first volume, which, in consequence of the extensive sale, the proprietors doubled. They gave him £300 for the second, and £600 for each of the third and fourth volumes.

These discourses experienced a success unparalleled in the annals of pulpit eloquence. They circulated rapidly and widely wherever the English tongue extends, were soon translated into almost all the languages of Europe, and were judged worthy of a public reward by his Majesty, who, in the year 1780, was graciously pleased to grant the author a pension of £200, which continued till his death. It is said, that they were read to the Royal family by the Earl of Mansfield, and that her Majesty honoured them with her approbation, and took an active part in procuring him this proof of the Royal favour.

Hitherto, the writers of sermons, among the Scottish preachers, had produced no models of a refined and polished eloquence. Their discourses abounded in cold divisions, metaphysical discussion, or loose and incoherent declamation. Among his contemporaries, some preachers had distinguished themselves by the good sense, sound reasoning, and manly simplicity of their pulpit compositions. "But the polish of Dr. Blair, which gave elegance to sentiments not too profound for common comprehension, nor too obvious to be uninteresting, was wanting to render this species of composition popular, and generally pleasing. By employing the utmost exertions of a vigorous mind, and of patient study, to select the best ideas, and to prune off every superfluous thought, by taking pains to embellish them by all the beauties of language and elegant expression, and by repeatedly examining with the severity of an enlightened critic, every sentence, and erasing every harsh and uncouth phrase, he has produced the most elegant models of pulpit composition that have yet appeared in these kingdoms."‡

In the enjoyment of the praise of polished eloquence, there are other men who participate with Dr. Blair; but in the application of talents and of learning, to render mankind wiser or better, there are few literary characters who can claim an equal share; and, though the highest praise is due to his compositions for the pulpit, considered as the productions of genius and of taste, yet, when they are regarded in this more important light, they entitle him to that still more honourable fame, which is the portion of the wise and good alone, and before which all literary splendour disappears.

* Anderson's Life of Johnson, Sd edition, p. 342.

Boswell's Life of Johnson, Vol. III. p. 100.

Anderson's Life of Logan; Works of the British Poets, Vol. XI. p. 1032.

After reading his course of Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres in the University above twenty years, he retired from the discharge of his academical duties in 1783. His academical prelections constitute an era in the history of the progress of taste and elegance in Scotland. His classical taste, his aversion from refinement and skepticism his good intentions, his respect for received opinions, his industry, and his experience in the art of teaching, enabled him to present to young men, aiming at literary composition, a most judicious, elegant, and comprehensive system of rules for forming their style, and cultivating their taste.

The same year, he published his Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, in 2 vols. 4to. which brought him a considerable accession of emolument and fame. They have been frequently reprinted in 3 vols. 8vo. and deservedly occupy a place in our schools and universities, as an excellent elementary treatise on the studies of composition and eloquence. They contain an accurate analysis of the principles of literary composition, in all the various species of writing; a happy illustration of those principles by the most beautiful and apposite examples, drawn from the best authors, both ancient and modern, and an admirable digest of the rules of elocution, as applicable to the oratory of the pulpit, the bar, and the popular assembly. They do not aim at being purely original; for this would have been to circumscribe their utility; neither in point of style are they polished with the same degree of care as his Sermons: yet, so useful is the object of these Lectures, so comprehensive their plan, and such the excellence of the matter they contain, that, if not the most splendid, they will perhaps prove the most durable monument of his reputation.

From this period his talents were consecrated solely to the instruction of his congregation, and the private and unseen labours of his office; preparing for the world the blessings of elegant instruction, and tendering to the mourner the lessons of divine consolation. From that part of his professional duty, which regarded the government of the church, he was prevented by his timidity and diffidence in his abilities, from taking any active part; but he was steadily attached to the cause of moderation, and his opinion was eagerly courted by Dr. Robertson, Dr. Drysdale, Dr. Hill, Dr. Finlayson, and others, who managed ecclesiastical business. The outline of the pastoral admonition, which the General Assembly, in 1799, addressed to the people under their charge, proceeded from his pen.

In the course of his life he had frequently visited London, and had been introduced to the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson, Dr. Percy, afterward Bishop of Dromore, and other distinguished literary characters in England. On the recommendation of Dr. Percy, the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland committed to him the care of their second son, Lord Algernon Percy, afterward Earl of Beverley, when he prosecuted his studies at the University of Edinburgh. Among his countrymen, Lord Kaimes, David Hume, Dr. Smith, Dr. Robertson, Dr. Ferguson, Mr. John Home, and Dr. Carlyle, were the persons with whom he lived in habits of intimacy, and with whom, during the greater part of his life, he maintained social intercourse.

Upon the death of Dr. Robertson, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, in the year 1793, the unanimous voice of the country acknowledged his claim to be appointed the successor of that illustrious man. When the Magistrates and Council of Edinburgh gave the appointment to another, it is certain that he felt the oversight as injurious to his pretensions. Flattered with the respect of the world, and unaccustomed to disappointments during a long life, that had been devoted to literary pursuits, he could ill brook any neglect, when that life was drawing to a close.

In the year 1795, he suffered a heavy domestic calamity by the death of Mrs. Blair, who had shared, with the tenderest affection, in all his fortunes, and contributed near half a century to his happiness and comfort. By her he had a son, who died in infancy, and a daughter, of a most amiable disposition, and elegant accomplishments, who died at the age of twenty.

For some years he had felt himself unequal to the fatigue of instructing his congregation from the pulpit, yet he continued to the end of his life in the active and cheerful discharge of all his other official duties. At the solicitation of his friends, he preached the annual Sermon for the benefit of the Sons of the Clergy of Scotland in 1797, which produced a liberal collection, and closed the labours of the pulpit.

Though his bodily constitution was not robust, yet he enjoyed a general state of good health, and, through habitual cheerfulness, temperance, and ease, survived the usual term of human life. During the summer before his death, he was employed in preparing the last volume of his Sermons for the press, and evinced his usual vigour of understanding, and capacity of exertion. A few days before he died he had no complaint; but on the 24th of December, 1800, he felt a pain in his bowels, which was not then suspected to proceed from an inguinal hernia, which he considered as trifling. On the afternoon of the 26th, the pain increased, and the symptoms became violent

and alarming. In consequence of an incarceration of the hernia, it produced a complete stoppage in the bowels, and an inflammation commenced, which it was impossible to resist. Retaining to the last moment the full possession of his mental faculties, he expired on the morning of the 27th, with the composure and hope of a Christian pastor, in the 83d year of his age, and the 59th of his ministry.

He bequeathed his house in Argyle-Square, which had been his residence above thirty years, and his personal property, which was considerable, to his relation, Mr. Richard Bannatyne, merchant in Edinburgh, with an explicit injunction, suggested by an excusable solicitude for his reputation, that all his manuscript sermons and letters should be destroyed.

The Sermons which he had transcribed, and, in many parts, re-composed for the press, after he had completed his eighty-second year, were delivered to the publishers about six weeks before his death, and printed in 1801, with a short account of his life, written by his friend and colleague, Dr. Finlayson; who himself now needs a similar memorial of his talents and virtues. He had himself paid a similar tribute to the memory of his colleague Mr. Robert Walker, by prefixing a candid and affectionate Preface to the last volume of his Sermons. A more ample and elaborate account of his life and writings, drawn up at his request, by Dr. John Hill, Professor of Humanity in the University of Edinburgh, was printed in 1807, when the writer himself was beyond the reach of praise or censure.

The name of Dr. Blair needs no panegyric. His literary honours are a trophy which he has erected for himself, and which time will not destroy. Posterity will justly regard him as a benefactor of the human race, and as no ordinary instrument, in the hand of God, for refining the taste, improving the morality, and promoting the religion of the Christian world.

INTRODUCTION.

ONE of the most distinguished privileges which Providence has conferred upon mankind, is the power of communicating their thoughts to one another. Destitute of this power, reason would be a solitary, and, in some measure, an unavailable principle. Speech is the great instrument by which man becomes beneficial to man: and it is to the intercourse and transmission of thought, by means of speech, that we are chiefly indebted for the improvement of thought itself. Small are the advances which a single unassisted individual can make towards perfecting any of his powers. What we call human reason, is not the effort or ability of one, so much as it is the result of the reason of many, arising from lights mutually communicated, in consequence of discourse and writing.

It is obvious, then, that writing and discourse are objects entitled to the highest attention. Whether the influence of the speaker, or the entertainment of the hearer, be consulted; whether utility or pleasure be the principal aim in view, we are prompted, by the strongest motives, to study how we may communicate our thoughts to one another with most advantage. Accordingly we find, that in almost every nation, as soon as language had extended itself beyond that scanty communication which was requisite for the supply of men's necessities, the improvement of discourse began to attract regard. In the language even of rude uncultivated tribes, we can trace some attention to the grace and force of those expressions which they used, when they sought to persuade or to affect. They were early sensible of a beauty in discourse, and endeavoured to give it certain decorations, which experience had taught them it was capable of receiving, long before the study of those decorations was formed into a regular art.

But, among nations in a civilized state, no art has been cultivated with more care, than that of language, style, and composition. The attention paid to it may, indeed, be assumed as one mark of the progress of society towards its most improved period. For, according as society improves and flourishes, men acquire more influence over one another by means of reasoning and discourse; and in proportion as that influence is felt to enlarge, it must follow, as a natural consequence, that they will bestow more care upon the methods

B

2

« AnteriorContinuar »