Page:Imperialdictiona03eadi Brandeis Vol3a.pdf/532

MUR , and in 1817 he enlarged and completed Leyden's Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Africa, in 2 vols. 8vo. He also for some time edited the Scots Magazine, contributed many articles to the Edinburgh Gazetteer, and published an "Account of Discoveries and Travels in Asia," 3 vols. 8vo, 1820; and a similar work on America in 2 vols., 1829; composed about fifteen volumes of the Edinburgh Cabinet Library, including a history of British India and America, China, the United States, &c. His most important work, the "Encyclopædia of Geography," in one large vol. 8vo, appeared in 1834. Mr. Murray died in 1841.—J. T.  MURRAY,, Earl of. See.  MURRAY,, physician and chemist, born in Scotland. He was educated at Edinburgh, and for many years lectured with great reputation on chemistry. His lectures qualifying for Surgeon's Hall were well attended. He is the author of several standard works, "System of Chemistry," 4 vols. 8vo; "System of Materia Medica and Pharmacy," &c. Died in 1820.—W. B—d.  MURRAY,, was born in 1778. The publishing house of which he was the head was founded in 1768 by Lieutenant John M'Murray, a native of Edinburgh, and officer in the marines, who in that year resigned his commission and purchased the bookselling and publishing business of Mr. Sandby of Fleet Street. He changed his name to Murray, and conducted his business with energy and success. He founded the London Review, published the first edition of the elder D'Israeli's "Curiosities of Literature," and died in 1783. He was succeeded by the subject of this notice, the founder of the Quarterly Review and the publisher of Lord Byron's works, as well as correspondent and friend of their author. He was distinguished through life by his tact, taste, enterprise, and the liberality of his dealings. He established the Quarterly Review in 1809, and in 1812 published the first cantos of Childe Harold, two achievements which may be considered the foundation of his fortunes. After a long and successful career he died in June, 1843. He was succeeded by his son, the present Mr., born in 1808, educated at the Charter-house and at Edinburgh university, and who has acquired a European fame by the publication of the series of handbooks of travel which bear his name.—F. E.  MURRAY,, an eminent Scotch lawyer and judge, was born in 1778. His father, a cadet of the Stormont family, was a judge of the court of session under the title of Lord Henderland. Young Murray was educated at Westminster school, and the high school and university of Edinburgh. He was admitted to the bar in the year 1800, and became the intimate friend of Brougham, Lansdowne, Horner, Jeffrey, Moncrieff, Cockburn, and the other young advocates, who have earned for themselves a world-wide reputation for their zealous labours in promoting the diffusion of liberal principles, and the redress of public grievances. Though nurtured in the very hotbed of toryism, Murray became a contributor to the Edinburgh Review, and a staunch and fearless supporter of whig opinions. Though he had to contend with most formidable competitors, his career at the bar was distinguished and successful. He was a vigorous debater, and possessed great powers both of declamation and of sarcasm; his mind was eminently practical, clear-sighted, and logical; and he was enabled to hold his place with the greatest lawyers whom perhaps the Scottish bar ever possessed. After the passing of the reform bill, Mr. Murray was returned in 1832 as the first member for the Leith burghs, enfranchised by that act. On the elevation of Lord Jeffrey to the bench in 1833 he succeeded him in the office of lord-advocate, and was eminently popular on account of his cheerful kindliness, and the winning urbanity of his manner. In 1839 he was appointed a judge, and discharged the duties of his office to the last with fidelity and diligence. He died in 1859 in the eighty-first year of his age. Lord Murray was remarkable for his generosity and benevolence. His acts of personal kindness were innumerable. He was possessed of rare conversational powers, and his high sense of honour and affable manners made him a universal favourite.—J. T.  MURRAY,, the well-known English grammarian, and a member of the Society of Friends, was born in Pennsylvania in 1745. He originally followed the profession of the law, and practised it successfully for some years. To his credit it may be stated, that it was his invariable practice to discourage litigation, and to recommend a peaceable settlement of differences. The war with the mother country led to a general suspension of the law courts, a circumstance which, in addition to ill health, induced Lindley Murray to abandon the profession. After four years spent in the country, he entered into mercantile concerns; which proving highly lucrative, he was able to retire from business at the period of the American independence. For the establishment of his health he was recommended by his physicians to remove to England, which he did in 1784, and never again returned to his native land, but resided in the neighbourhood of York through the remainder of his life, a period of forty-two years. It was during this time that he wrote the various works, through which his name became so well known to the public. At the urgent solicitation of teachers who were dissatisfied with the English grammars then in use, he prepared and ultimately published in 1795, "An English Grammar comprehending the principles and rules of the language." The extraordinary success which attended this work encouraged the author to publish a volume of "Exercises," illustrative of the rules of grammar. Murray's next book, the "English Reader," met with a deservedly favourable reception, and was extensively introduced into schools and private families. The publication of this useful work was followed by that of the "Introduction," and the "Sequel." Of these three invaluable volumes the author justly observes, "I have great satisfaction in reflecting that whilst they contain many selections, which present the moral virtues, religion, and the christian religion in particular, in very amiable points of view, not a sentiment has been admitted into any of them which can pain the most virtuous mind or give the least offence to the eye or ear of modesty." Besides the works already mentioned, Murray wrote the following, all of which have had very extensive circulation, and it is believed that their proceeds were wholly applied to benevolent purposes. "Introduction au Lecteur François;" "Lecteur François;" "The Power of Religion on the Mind in Retirement, Affliction, and at the approach of Death;" "The Duty and Benefit of a Daily perusal of the Holy Scriptures in Families;" a selection from Bishop Horne's Commentary on the Psalms; an English spelling-book. Lindley Murray died in 1826, in the eightieth year of his age.—D. T.  MURRAY,, fifth Lord Elibank, a learned Scottish nobleman and writer, was born in 1703. He studied for the Scottish bar, at which he was admitted to practise in 1723; but turning aside from the legal profession, he entered the army in the same year, and soon rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He served in the expedition to Carthagena under Lord Cathcart in 1740, but retired from the army probably on account of his jacobite principles, and spent the remainder of his life in learned leisure and society. Lord Elibank was a great reader, and a man of wit and talent. He published several small pieces of distinguished merit, on the Currency, Public Debts, entails in Scotland, the present state of the Scottish peerage, the history of Scotland, &c. He was the early patron of Dr. Robertson and of John Home; was one of the most distinguished of the Edinburgh literati, and a correspondent of Dr. Johnson, who entertained a high esteem for him and paid him this high compliment—"I never was in Lord Elibank's company without learning something." He died in 1778 in the seventy-sixth year of his age.—His lordship's youngest brother,, was governor of Minorca, and acquired great distinction for his resolute defence of that important post in 1781.—J. T.  MURRAY,. See. <section end="532H" /> <section begin="532Zcontin" />MURRAY,, a distinguished Scottish horticulturist, was born in 1790, and died at Hillhead, Glasgow, on the 10th October, 1858. He devoted his attention to gardening, and commenced his career as gardener to Thomas Hopkirk of Dalbeth, author of the Flora Glottiana and other botanical works, in some of which Mr. Murray afforded valuable assistance from his knowledge of plants. In 1817 he was chosen superintendent of the botanic garden at Glasgow. The grounds were laid out under his direction, and he helped in the transference of the plants from Dalbeth which had been given by Mr. Hopkirk to the new public garden. By correspondence with home and foreign botanists and cultivators he accumulated many valuable plants, which were from time to time described by Sir William Hooker, the professor of botany in Glasgow. The materials for a catalogue of the plants were also prepared by Mr. Murray. His eminence as a cultivator attracted the notice of the Emperor Alexander of Russia, who in 1820 sent him a valuable diamond ring. The duke of Bedford also presented him with a gold snuff-box in testimony of his appreciation of Mr. Murray's skill as a practical gardener. He superintended the transference of the Glasgow <section end="532Zcontin" />