Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 07.djvu/104

Bruce nominal rent. More important was his success in establishing at Killeleagh in 1697 a philosophical school for the training of the presbyterian ministry and gentry which proved obnoxious to the episcopalians and was closed in 1714. In 1699 Bruce was appointed one of the synod's trustees for the management of the regium donum and continued in this office till his death His congregation was large at his communion on 2 July 1704 there were seven successive tables and the services began at 7 and lasted till evening. A new meeting house was built for him probably in 1692. In the nonsubscription controversy 1720 6 Bruce sided with the subscribers himself signing the Westminster Confession in 1721 but was unwilling to cut off the nonsubscribers from fellowship. His presbytery Down was in 1725 divided into Down and Killeleagh those including Bruce who were against disowning the nonsubscribers being placed in the latter Bruce died on 17 Feb 1730. His will dated in February 1725 directs his burial at Killeleagh where he was interred on 24 Feb Tradition places the spot eastward of the episcopal church. He married 25 Sept 1685 Margaret died May 1706 daughter of Lieutenant colonel James Trail of Tullychin near Killeleagh by Mary daughter of John Hamilton brother of the first Lord Clandeboye. He had ten children of whom three sons and three daughters survived him. His sons [q. v.] and Patrick were presbyterian ministers, [q. v.] was a publisher. From his son Patrick (1692–1732) minister successively of Drumbo, co. Down Killallan, Renfrewshire, and Killeleagh, are lineally descended the Hervey Bruces of Downhill, baronets since 1804. Bruce published nothing In Daniel Mussenden's manuscript volume of sermon notes is an abstract of Bruce's sermon (Prov viii. 17) at a communion in Belfast, 20 Aug 1704, which is strongly Calvinistic

 BRUCE, JAMES (1730–1794), African traveller, son of David Bruce of Kinnaird and Marion Graham of Airth, was born at Kinnaird, Stirlingshire, on 14 Dec. 1730. He was educated at Harrow, and 'inclined to the profession of a clergyman' for which, 'his master assured his father, 'he has sufficient gravity.' He nevertheless complied with his father's wish that he should study law, until it became evident that a pursuit involving an intimate knowledge of Roman as well as Scotch jurisprudence was too distasteful to him to be prosecuted to any good purpose. He had in the meantime invigorated his originally delicate constitution by exercise and sport; and now, athletic, daring, and six feet four, seemed made for a life of travel and adventure. While soliciting permission to settle as a trader in India, his ideas received a new direction from his marriage with Adriana Allan, the orphan daughter of a wine merchant in Portugal. To gratify her mother he took a share in the business; but his wife's death in 1754, after a union of only nine months, destroyed his interest in this calling, and to detach himself gradually from it he visited Spain and Portugal under pretext of inspecting the vintage. Two incidents arising out of this excursion aided to determine his subsequent career. Having formed the project of examining the manuscripts in the Escurial, he was led to study Arabic, which incidentally directed his attention to the ancient classical language of Abyssinia; and, having observed the unprotected condition of Ferrol, he submitted, upon the outbreak of hostilities with Spain, a proposition to the English government for an attack upon the place. The scheme, though not carried into effect, gained him the notice of Lord Halifax, and the offer of the consulate at Algiers, with a commission to examine the remains of ancient architecture described but not delineated by Dr. Shaw. According to his own statement, this proposal was accompanied by the promise of a baronetcy when his mission should be completed, and the pledge that he should be assisted by a deputy to attend to consular business while he was engaged in archaeological research. Some hints as to the possibility of his extending his explorations to the Nile took the strongest hold upon his imagination, and to reach its source now became the main purpose of his life. To qualify himself yet further for his undertaking, he spent six months in Italy studying antiquities, and obtained the services of an accomplished draughtsman, a young Bolognese named Luigi Balugani. Before engaging him he had visited Psestum, and made the first accurate drawings ever taken of the ruins, a fortunate step for his own reputation, as it refuted the charge subsequently brought against him of entire