Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 4.djvu/131

Rh you, who are at the head of the town of Aberdeen's affairs, plead against a settlement from which your citizens are to derive so great benefits?"

The deed of mortification for founding and endowing the hospital, was drawn up and signed by him, on the 13th December, 1729. By this deed he transferred, in favour of the provost, baillies, and town council of the burgh of Aberdeen, together with the four town's ministers, and their successors in their respective offices, the sum of 10,000 sterling, or such sum or sums as his effects might amount to at his death, in trust for erecting and maintaining an hospital, to be called Robert Gordon's Hospital, for educating and maintaining indigent male children, and male grandchildren of decayed merchants, and brethren of guild of the burgh of Aberdeen, of the name of Gordon, in the first place, and of the name of Menzies in the second (the nearest relations of the mortifior of the names of Gordon and Menzies, being always preferred), and the male children of any other relations of the mortifier that are of any other name, in the third place, to be preferred to others. After these, male children, or male grandchildren, of any other merchants or brethren of guild of Aberdeen, to be admitted; and after them the sons or grandsons of tradesmen or others, under certain restrictions-mentioned in the deed. The provost, baillies, town council, and the four town's ministers, and their successors, were appointed perpetual patrons and governors. A certain sum of money was appointed to be laid out in erecting the building, but no boys were to be admitted till the intended sum of £10,000 sterling was made good by the accumulation of interest. An appendix to the deed of mortification was executed by the founder, on the 19th September, 1730, containing a few trifling alterations. His death took place in January, 1732, in consequence, it is said, of his having eaten to excess at a public entertainment; but the accounts on this subject are contradictory, and therefore entitled to little credit. His executors buried him with great expense and pomp in Drum's Aisle, and it is likely that the occasion was one of joy rather than of mourning. Mr Gordon was somewhat tall in person, and of a gentlemanly appearance, with a mild and intellectual countenance, if we may judge from an original portrait of him in the hospital. That he was possessed of more than ordinary intelligence and good sense, may be inferred from the excellent regulations which he framed for the management of the hospital. The importance he attached to religion as an element of education, is shown by the anxiety which he manifested, and the ample provision made in the deed of mortification, for the support and encouragement of true religion and good morals in the institution founded by his munificence. He also appears to have been a man of taste, and he left behind him a good collection of coins and medals, and also of drawings.

By his deed of mortification, Robert Gordon excluded females from any office whatever in his projected institution. This has been ascribed to an antipathy which he is believed to have entertained to the sex in general. With greater reason it has been supposed that their exclusion was dictated by an over-scrupulous regard to the moral training of the boys who were to be educated in the hospital; and the same fantastic notion no doubt suggested the introduction of another clause, enjoining celibacy upon the master and teachers. These monastic restrictions were fitted to produce the very effect which they were intended to prevent, besides depriving the institution of everything like home comfort and influence. Before the rule excluding females had been long in operation, the Governors, finding it to be exceedingly inconvenient, if not impracticable, to carry out the founder's views in this respect, resolved "that women servants be taken into and employed in the hospital;" and afterwards they appointed a matron to superintend them. That part of the deed condemning the master and teachers to a life of celibacy, was strictly enforced until the year 1842, when the