Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 2.djvu/287



CRICHTON,, commonly styled the Admirable Crichton. The learned and accurate Dr Kippis, editor of the Biographia Britannica, was the first, we believe, who thoroughly sifted and critically examined the truth or consistency of those marvellous stories which had so long attached to and rendered famous the name of the Admirable Crichton. Many had long doubted their credibility, and many more had been deluded by them. It fell to the lot of this keen critic, by a minute and candid investigation of the truth, to confirm and rectify the minds of both. Biography is but a part of history, and the chief value of both must always rest upon their veracity ; and it is no unimportant service rendered to letters, to disabuse them of those apocryphal portions which deteriorate the worth, or render suspicious the quality of what is really genuine. It is but an ungrateful task, we allow, to destroy in the mind its favoured prejudices or delusions; yet these can never be allowed to stand in the way of investigation; and we make no doubt of showing, before the end of this article that inquiry, in the present case, has not been without its advantage.

The biographer whom we have mentioned, has expressed the diffidence and anxiety which he felt on entering upon this life; "being," says he "desirous, on the one hand, not to detract from Crichton's real merit, and, on the other, to form a just estimate of the truth of the facts which are recorded concerning him." We hope to observe the same principle of impartiality; and, after having given the reader the current narration regarding this singular individual, shall afterwards leave to his own discrimination the proofs which, either way affect its authenticity.

James Crichton was the son of Robert Crichton, of Eliock, lord advocate of Scotland, partly in the reigns of queen Mary and king James VI. His mother was Elizabeth Stuart, only daughter of Sir James Stuart of Beith; a family collaterally descended from Murdoch, duke of Albany, third son of Robert III. by Elizabeth Muir, and uncle to James I. He was born in the castle of Cluny, in Perthshire, sometime about the year 1560. This residence had recently been in the possession of the bishopric of Dunkeld, from which it was dissevered during the reformation; and was esteemed, at that time, one of the best houses