Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 16.djvu/168

 says my nephew is only made a viscount. Myself is nothing, but the whole nation thinks the least you can do is to give him an English earldom. … Am sure were this properly represented to our good king, who esteems a brave, religious man like himself, would be of my opinion. …’ (Arniston Memoirs, 251). It was not, however, till 1831, many years after Duncan's death, that his son, then bearing his title, was raised to the dignity of an earl, and his other children to the rank and precedence of the children of an earl.

Till 1801 Duncan continued in command of the North Sea fleet, but without any further opportunity of distinction. Three years later, 4 Aug. 1804, he died quite suddenly at the inn at Cornhill, a village on the border, where he had stopped for the night on his journey to Edinburgh (ib. 252). He left a family of four daughters, and, besides the eldest son who succeeded to the peerage, a second son, Henry, who died a captain in the navy and K.C.H. in 1835. It was of him that Nelson wrote: ‘I had not forgot to notice the son of Lord Duncan. I consider the near relations of brother-officers as legacies to the service’ (11 Jan. 1804, Nelson Despatches, v. 364), and to whom he wrote on 4 Oct. 1804, sending a newspaper with the account of Lord Duncan's death: ‘ There is no man who more sincerely laments the heavy loss you have sustained than myself; but the name of Duncan will never be forgot by Britain, and in particular by its navy, in which service the remembrance of your worthy father will, I am sure, grow up in you. I am sorry not to have a good sloop to give you, but still an opening offers which I think will insure your confirmation as a commander’ (ib. vi. 216).

Duncan was of size and strength almost gigantic. He is described as 6 ft. 4 in. in height, and of corresponding breadth. When a young lieutenant walking through the streets of Chatham, his grand figure and handsome face attracted crowds of admirers, and to the last he is spoken of as singularly handsome (Colburn's New Monthly Magazine, 1836, xlvii. 466). His portrait, by Hoppner, has been engraved. Another, by an unknown artist, but presented by the first Earl of Camperdown, is in the Painted Hall at Greenwich. Another, by Copley, has also been engraved. A statue by Westmacott, erected at the public expense, is in St. Paul's.



DUNCAN, ANDREW, the elder (1744–1828), physician and professor at Edinburgh University, was the second son of Andrew Duncan, merchant and shipmaster, of Crail, afterwards of St. Andrews, his mother being a daughter of Professor William Vilant, and related to the Drummonds of Hawthornden. He was born at Pinkerton, near St. Andrews, on 17 Oct. 1744, and was educated first by Sandy Don of Crail, celebrated in the convivial song of ‘Crail Town,’ and afterwards by Richard Dick of St. Andrews. He proceeded next to St. Andrews University, where he obtained the M.A. degree in 1762. As a youth he was known as ‘the smiling boy,’ and his character for good nature was retained through life. Lord Erskine and his brother Henry Erskine were among his school fellows and fast friends through life. In 1762 he entered Edinburgh University as a medical student, being the pupil of Cullen, John Gregory, Monro secundus, Hope, and Black. He was president of the Royal Medical Society in 1764, and five times afterwards. His attachment to the society continued through life; he was its treasurer for many years; and in 1786 a gold medal was voted to him for his services. On the completion of his course of studies in 1768, he went a voyage to China as surgeon of the East India Company's ship Asia. Refusing an offer of five hundred guineas to undertake a second voyage, Duncan graduated M.D. at St. Andrews in October 1769, and in May 1770 became a licentiate of the Edinburgh College of Physicians. In the same year he was an unsuccessful candidate for the professorship of medicine in St. Andrews University. In February 1771 he married Miss Elizabeth Knox, who bore him twelve children. His eldest son, [q. v.], became also a professor at Edinburgh. His third son, Alexander (1780–1859), became a general in the army, and distinguished himself in India.

During the absence of Dr. Drummond, professor-elect of medicine at Edinburgh, Duncan was appointed to lecture in 1774–6. Drummond failing to return, Dr. James Gregory was elected professor, and Duncan started an extra-academical course, as well as a public dispensary, which afterwards became the Royal Public Dispensary, incorporated by royal charter in 1818. In 1773 he commenced the publication of ‘Medical and Philosophical Commentaries,’ a quarterly journal of medicine, at first issued in the name of ‘a society in Edinburgh,’ Duncan being named as secretary. The seventh volume was entitled ‘Medical Commentaries for the year 1780, collected and published by Andrew Duncan,’ and reached a third