Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 3.djvu/59

Rh marks upon the Public Buildings of London." Before he became disgusted with his profession, he had painted his well known historical picture of The Tent of Darius; which gained him the prize from the society of arts, and was justly admired for its great beauty. About the same time he executed two paintings in enamel, "The Death of Dido," and "The Story of Hero and Leander," both of which obtained prizes from the same society. These two paintings were so much admired, that he was urged by his friends to do others in the same style ; but no persuasion could induce him to make the attempt. At that time many persons of rank and title honoured him with their patronage. The earl of Buchan, in particular, was very much his friend, and purchased the Tent of Darius, and several other of his paintings, together with one or both of the enamels. Donaldson's likenesses, both in black-lead and in colours, were striking; of which the head' of Hume the historian, prefixed to Strachan and Cadell's edition of the History of England, was accounted a very favourable specimen.

Among the various pursuits of this eccentric individual, chemistry was one; in the prosecution of which, he discovered a method of preserving meat and vegetables uncorrupted, during the longest voyages. For this discovery he obtained a patent ; but his poverty and indolence, and his ignorance of the world, prevented his turning it to any account. The last twenty years of his life were spent in great misery. His eye-sight had failed; but even before that misfortune, his business had left him ; and he was frequently destitute of the ordinary necessaries of life. His last illness was occasioned by his having slept in a newly painted room, which brought on a total debility. His friends then removed him to lodgings near Islington, where he received every attention which his case required, until his death, which took place on the 11th of October, 1801. He was buried in Islington church-yard. Donaldson was a man of very rare endowments, and of great talents; addicted to no vice; and remarkable for the most abstemious moderation. The great and single error of his life, was his total neglect of his profession, at a time when his talents and opportunities held out the certainty of his attaining the very highest rank as an artist.

DONALDSON, WALTER, was born in Aberdeen, and attained to some consideration among the learned men of the seventeenth century. He was in the retinue of bishop Cunningham of Aberdeen, and Peter Junius, grand-almoner of Scotland, when they were sent on an embassy from king James VI. to the court of Denmark and to the princes of Germany. After his return from this expedition he again went abroad, and delivered a course of lectures on moral philosophy at Heidelberg. One of his pupils having taken notes of these lectures, published them; an encroachment on his rights with which Donaldson seems not to have been much displeased, for he informs us, with apparent complacency, that several editions of the work were published both in Germany and in Great Britain, under the title of Synopsis Moralis Philosophæ. He was afterwards appointed professor of the Greek language and principal of the university of Sedan, which situation he retained for sixteen years ; he was then invited to open a college at Charenton, but the proposed establishment was objected to as illegal, and appears to have gone no farther. While this matter was pending in the courts of law, Donaldson employed himself in preparing his Synopsis Œconomica, which he published in Paris in 8vo, in 1620, and dedicated to the prince of Wales. This work was republished at Rostock in 1624, in 8vo.

DOUGALL,, was born in Kirkaldy in Fifeshire, where his father was the master of the grammar school. After receiving the primary branches of education at home, he proceeded to the university of Edinburgh, where he