Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 8.djvu/289

Rh painter; and on taking possession of his manse, he was grieved to find that, in the process of cleaning and white-washing, the sketches with which Sir David Wilkie, when a little boy, had covered the walls of his nursery, were remorselessly swept away. To a man of Gillespie's taste and enthusiasm, it seemed as if his entrance into a peaceful home had been preceded by an onslaught of the Vandals; but after settling in Cults, he made many inquiries into the early history of Sir David, which he communicated to Allan Cunningham, the artist's eloquent biographer. Over the portal of the manse, also, in imitation of Gil Blas, he afterwards carved that couplet of the Latin poet—

This final good-bye to hope and fortune, however, was somewhat premature; for having been appointed assistant and successor to Dr. John Hunter, professor of Humanity in St. Andrews, whose daughter Mr. Gillespie had married, he relinquished the ministerial charge of Cults, and became a resident in the ancient town of St. Andrews.

In his capacity of a country divine, and afterwards as a professor, Mr. Gillespie was distinguished by superior talent, both as an able writer, and ready eloquent speaker. His chief work was a volume of sermons on the "Seasons;" but his contributions to some of our best newspapers and journals, both in prose and verse, showed how high a rank he might have attained as an author had he devoted his labours to this department. But his productions through the press were the light buoyant sallies of an occasional hour of leisure, as a relief from more important occupations, rather than serious and continued efforts; and as such they were read, admired, and forgot, amidst the gay sparkling literature of the hour to which they were contributed. It was in the pulpit, as an eloquent, persuasive divine, and in his university chair, as an effective teacher of classical literature, that his whole energies were thrown forth; and when he died, a blank was left both in presbytery and college, which his learned and reverend brethren felt would not soon be filled up. Dr. Gillespie's death, which was sudden, occurred at Dunino, on the 11th of September, 1844. He was twice married, and his second wife was daughter of the Rev. Dr. Campbell, formerly minister of Cupar, and sister of the Right Hon. Lord John Campbell.

, LL.D., F.R.S., F.A.S., member of many foreign societies, and historiographer to his Majesty for Scotland. The many literary titles of this erudite and once popular historian, evince the high estimation in which he was held by the learned men of his day. He was born at Brechin, in the county of Forfar, on the 18th of January, 1747. Although of a family belonging to the middling classes, he was not its only distinguished member, as one of his younger brothers became an eminent lawyer at the Scottish bar, and finally attained the rank of Lord of Session. John Gillies was educated at the University of Glasgow, and there he so highly distinguished himself by his classical attainments, that, before he was of age, he was appointed to teach the classes of the Greek professor, who had been laid aside by old age and infirmity. Instead of waiting, however, for those turns of fortune that might have elevated him to the chair which he had filled as deputy, he repaired to London, for the purpose of devoting himself to authorship. Before he settled down in the metropolis, he resolved still further to qualify himself for his future occupation by the study of the living languages; and for this purpose he took up his residence for