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218 West Indies, which his experience in that country had enabled him to illustrate in a most satisfactory manner; besides some others on the chronic diseases of Great Britain, particularly the hooping-cough and the scorbutic itch, as well as many chirurgical remarks, which show a mind bent on the improvement of his profession. A few years before his death, be deposited, in the Library of the Infirmary at Leeds, a manuscript of medical observations, in octavo, and extending to nearly seven hundred pages; for which the physicians of that institution honoured him with a formal vote of thanks. Dr Bisset also presented a manuscript treatise on fortification to the Prince of Wales (afterwards George IV.); which was deposited in his Royal Highness's private library. These, with a small published treatise on naval tactics, and a few political papers, constituted the whole of the intellectual exertions of this distinguished man; who died at Knayton, near Thirsk, in May 1791, aged seventy-five years.  BLACK,, M.D. "the illustrious Nestor (as he has been termed by Lavoisier) of the chemical revolution,"—was not a native of Scotland, having been born on the banks of the Garonne, in France; but as his father was of Scottish extraction, while his mother was a native of that country, and as Scotland, further, was the scene not only of the better part of his life, but of all those exertions in science which will transmit his name to posterity, it seems proper that he should obtain a place in this work, even at the expense of a slight violation of its leading principle.

John Black, the father of the illustrious subject of this memoir, was a native of Belfast, descended, as already mentioned, from a Scottish family, which had for some time been settled there. For the purpose of carrying on the profession of a wine-merchant, he resided chiefly at Bourdeaux, where he married a daughter of Mr Robert Gordon of Hillhead in Aberdeenshire; a gentleman who also resided at Bourdeaux, and was engaged in the same trade. The sister of Mrs Black was mother to Mr Russel, professor of natural philosophy in the university of Edinburgh, and their aunt was mother to Dr Adam Ferguson, professor of moral philosophy in the same college, and author of the History of the Roman Republic. While Mr John Black resided at Bourdeaux, he was honoured with the friendship of Montesquieu, who was president of the parliament or court of justice in that province. "My father," says Dr Black, "was honoured with President Montesquieu's friendship, on account of his good character and virtues. He had no ambition to be very rich; but was cheerful and contented, benevolent and liberal-minded. He was industrious and prudent in business, of the strictest probity and honour, very temperate and regular in his manner of life. He and my mother, who was equally domestic, educated thirteen of their children, eight sons and five daughters, who all grew up to men and women, and were settled in different places. My mother taught her children to read English, there being no school for that purpose at Bourdeaux." The regard which Montesquieu entertained for Mr Black was testified in the warmest terms, when the latter was proposing to return to his native country. "I cannot," said he, on that occasion, "be reconciled to the thoughts of your leaving Bourdeaux. I lose the most agreeable pleasure I had, that of seeing you often, and forgetting myself with you."

Dr Black was born in the year 1728. In 1740, a few years before his father retired from business, he was sent home, in order to have the education of a British subject. After spending some time at the schools of Belfast, he was sent, in 1746, to complete his studies at the college of Glasgow. Here his attention became decidedly fixed upon physical science; insomuch that, on being desired to select a profession, he chose that of medicine, on account of its allowing the greatest scope for such studies. It was about this time that Dr Cullen had been