The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-10 00:00:00

ROBERTSON AND BLAIR.

Dr. Blair was a different kind of man from Robertson,
and his character is very justly delineated by Dr. Finlay-
son, so far as he goes. Robertson was most sagacious,
Blair was most naif. Neither of them could be said to have
either wit or humour. Of the latter Robertson had a

small tincture—Blair had hardly a relish for it. Robert-
son had a bold and ambitious mind, and a strong desire to
make himself considerable ; Blair was timid and unambi-
tious, and withheld himself from publio business of
every kind, and seemed to have no wish but to be admired
as a preacher, particularly by tile ladies. his conversation
was so infantine that many people thought it impossible, at
first sight, that he could bo a man of sense or genius. lie
was us eager about a new paper to his wife's drawing-room
or his own new wig, as about a new tragedy or a new epic
poem. Not long before his death I called upon him, when
I found him restless and fidgetty. " What is the matter
with you to-day," says I," my good friend—are you well ?"
" 0 yes," says he, " but I must dress myself, for the
Duchess of Leinster has ordered her granddaughters not
to leave Scotland without seeing me." "Go and dress
yourself, Doctor, and I shall read this novel ; for I en'
resolved to see the Duchess of Leinster's granddaughters,
for I knew their father and grandfather." Thisvcbdeinagt
settled, the young ladies, with their governess,
and 13,
who
one, and turned out poor little girls, of 12edan
compliment
could baldly be supposed to carry
grandmother.
which the p octor gave them in chaargweetloittuhr;
shine himself, that I
Robertson had so great a desire toany
dshcoonwveortshaetriopne,owplheeinn
off but Dr. Johnson and Garrick. . hardly ever saw him patiently.bear anybody else's showing_
capable ofbethrenindonistear:::eutno.
t the least d • to le
no desire sene,
friends.to ' Did not I slow you the
bciurteu:a.asstdaneleigeshteledd to it, had
hisused hesay after the exhibition of a
For a vain man, he was the least
their best guise to
en
a pure mind, in which
lionrenivi:rvukesal well
it::
eadria"Yknn?ievr.. lie had truly
there° was not the least malignity ; for though he was of a
.k
and lively temper, and apt to be warm and impatient
quick his wife,
about trifles, who was a superior woman, only
, s,ate and his friends joined her. Though Robertson was
, bed
never ruffled, he had more animosity in his nature than Blair.
They were both reckoned selfish by those who envied their
prosperity, but on very unequal grounds ; for though Blair
talked selfishly enough sometimes, yet he never failed in
generous actions. In one respect they were quite alike.
Having been bred at a time when the common people
thought to play with cards or dice was a sin, and every-
body thought it an indecorum in clergymen, they could
neither of them play at golf or bowls, and far less at ea
s
or backgammon, and on that account were very unhappy
when front home in friends' houses in the country
in rainy
-•
weather. As I had set the first
example
so relievedalni the
g at
doors, ie of playing
cards at home with unlocked ean
they both learned
clergy from ridicule on that side,
were sixty. Robertson
to play at whist after
they
shone. He had his
did very well Blair
neversummers in my parish, where
country quarters for two
quite
happy.
We were much
he and his wife.
wereeo had wit and humour in a high
together. Mrs. ,
Cienwess and extent of mind that made her
degree, and an a9u
hilosophers, and indeed a great favou-
with p
fit to converse
gained much upon Blair; and, as Mrs.
rite with them all,ite him believe whatever she pleased.
B. alleged, could -I).a
delight raising the wonder of the sage doctor.
They took eI
that stor', my dear doctor?" "No"
says be, "don't you doubt it, for it was Mrs. C. who told
he, " don't V
- ouhing—" and so, so," said he, " I must
" On my
me laug• ilowance for her imagination." Five or
hereafter make
_aie
~,,lah)
died, finding him well and in
six days before 1 tr.)
I said to him, " Since you don't choose to
good spirits,
dine abroad in this season (December), you may at least
t
, etwo dine with you." " Well, well, some
let a .fri-ror
pith Inc to-morrow," looking earnestly at Miss
Bunter, his niece.engaged and dine
return at four to-day.,, He looked more earnestly at his
nrecern.
,‘ What's to hinder him ? " said she, meaning to
answer his look, which said, " Have you any dinner to-day,
Betty ?" I returned, accordingly, at four, and never passed
four hours more agreeably with him, nor had more enligh-
tened conversation. Nay more, three days before his death
he sent John Home a part of his history, with two or three
pages of criticism on that part of it that relates to Provost
Drummond, in which he and I thought John egregiously
wrong.—From the " Autobiography of tin RAN, Dr. Alex.
culyle," •