Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 34.djvu/90

 Asiatic Society of Bengal’ (vol. xvi.; republished in Trübner's Oriental Series, ‘Essays relating to Indo-China,’ ii. 64). His chief other papers are: ‘The Rocks of Pulohbin,’ in vol. xxii. of the ‘Verhandelingen van het Bataafsche Genootschap,’ 1846. Notices of the geology of the straits of Singapore, in the ‘Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society,’ 1851, vol. vii.; and a ‘Journal of an Excursion from Singapore to Malacca and Pinang,’ in vol. xvi. of the Geological Society's ‘Journal.’ Logan also started and edited for about ten years the ‘Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia,’ printed first at the Singapore mission press in 1847. In 1857 he collected several of his numerous papers in the ‘Journal,’ and issued them in eight parts, under the title of ‘The Languages [and Ethnology] of the Indian Archipelago.’ The work, which treats not only of the classification and structure of the languages (together with a study of dialects and materials for a vocabulary), but also of the physical characteristics, the ethnic boundaries, and the origin, development, and changes of spiritualism within the region specified, is an important contribution to anthropological knowledge. Logan subsequently started and edited the ‘Penang Gazette,’ a journal which in his hands became an acknowledged authority on Indian matters. He died at Penang on 20 Oct. 1869, at which time he was notary public of the supreme court of the island. After his death it was decided to erect a monument to commemorate his important services.

Logan was a member of the Asiatic Society, and an honorary member of the Ethnological and Geological Societies of Great Britain. He was succeeded in the editorship of the ‘Penang Gazette’ by his son, Alexander Logan.

 LOGAN, JOHN (1748–1788), divine and poet, was born at Soutra, Fala, Midlothian, in 1748. His parents—George Logan, farmer at Soutra, and Janet, daughter of John Waterston in the parish of Stowe—removed soon after his birth to Gosford Mains, Aberlady, East Lothian. They were dissenters of the burgher branch of the secession, and attended the ministry of John Brown of Haddington. After receiving a preparatory education at the grammar school of Musselburgh, Logan entered the university of Edinburgh in 1762, and distinguished himself by his proficiency in classics, and by his essays in the class of rhetoric and belles-lettres taught by Hugh Blair [q. v.] Lord Elibank, who then resided at Ballencrieff in the parish of Aberlady, interested himself in his welfare, and gave him access to his library. After he had completed his studies for the ministry of the church of Scotland, he became, on the recommendation of Dr. Blair, who had formed a high opinion of his talents and character, tutor to the son of Mr. Sinclair of Ulbster, Caithness-shire, afterwards the celebrated Sir John Sinclair, bart., whom he accompanied to Caithness. Logan was licensed as a preacher by the presbytery of Haddington on 27 Sept. 1770, and in that year he published the poems of his friend and fellow-student Michael Bruce, and added ‘some poems written by different authors.’ In April 1773 he was ordained and admitted to the parish of South Leith, where for a time ‘he discharged assiduously the duties of his office.’ His literary reputation led to his being appointed by the general assembly in 1775 a member of the committee charged with the revision and enlargement of the paraphrases and hymns for use in public worship, and he became the largest contributor to the collection. During the college sessions of 1779–80, 1780–1, he read a course of historical lectures in Edinburgh, under the patronage of Principal Robertson, Dr. Blair, and other eminent literati; and in 1781 published an analysis of the lectures, entitled ‘Elements of the Philosophy of History.’ In the same year he published a volume of poems, including the ‘Ode to the Cuckoo,’ and others which he had printed along with those of Michael Bruce, and also his principal contributions to the paraphrases. This was followed in 1782 by the publication of one of his lectures, entitled ‘An Essay on the Manners and Governments of Asia,’ and in 1783 by the tragedy of ‘Runnamede,’ which was acted in the Edinburgh Theatre.

Logan's connection with the stage gave offence to his parishioners, and it did not stand alone. Logan had inherited from his father, who met his death by drowning when in an unsound state of mind, a tendency to melancholy, and in his fits of depression he had recourse to stimulants. So strong was the feeling against him that he found it expedient to resign his charge, 27 Dec. 1786, on being allowed an annuity from the living of 40l. The rest of his life was spent in London, where he occupied himself with literary pursuits. He was a frequent contributor to the ‘English Review,’ and in 1788 he published ‘A Review of the Principal Charges against Warren Hastings.’ He died on 25 Dec. 1788.

In 1790 and 1791 two volumes of his sermons were published under the supervision of