New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-01
NewYlork Daily @1ib1,,a
NEW PUBLlCa ffoT""
.l. nv ~ THE oLDEN TINE.

huru
g, R,pch. Of shich he was aus 1''"Vu
oo0', CIV, he he biography OF ftatc' Jrnfey' Ia
n., ~ oo.,ipius WORK hs displayed only 'nsa,
"" So, q, literary talent, but q wasm- nea'*a
nv 'o'SD ~ Scotch ,ocie'y, Scotch institutions,
80, .n,ollectioos, and miud fully imoued "isa
80. and reup cences OF the eminent meo OF
-. .o,n,,y. The poetoutnnus volume nov puo-
= IA. ,nbrsciDg the period between l1'S and
,s20 IA ch fly valuable for its lively pictdres of
5.m,stc lite in Edinburgh toward the close OF the
last century, sud dung the first quarter OF 'he
prescott, and It's familiar details In regard 70 tae
ners.nsl and soc al baots of some OF the ceie-
brst,d literary and publc characters who then
sippalized the capitol o' Scotland
The su,hor wos born either IN EdioonrPh or az
Cockpen. q smsH estate some eight miles from that
cin-be is uncertain wb,ch-but his earIies; recol-
lecpon 10 that Of t-rrbIe peacock IN one OF the
Cockpen walks, while he was still In petnc"sss.
When eight years old, he was sent t. toe Efn-
buren Hugh Scool, where he suffered so much from
a schoolmsster of almost fabulous stupidity, that
for four years be was regularly h"gged at least
opce in ten days, and imblbed toe fancy that Latin
was expressly cOntrived to torture boys. Hs ~as
dlssbu ed OF ths idea when he passed TO the class
of ,be Rev. DR.. Alexander Adam, the Rector OF
the School, ano the author Of the work on Roman
Antioui,ies which was once a general textbook 10
Am. rican colleges. DR.. Adam was sc1oolmaster
by ua,are. He wac born to teach Latin, Greek,
and eood morals. He was endowed with certain
lamb-like patiebce, which was rarely disturbed ex-
cept by iu,olerable provocation, aud he tden
displayed only an explosion OF gentle wrath, which
operaa as sanitary stimulus on the utimpress'
bic boys His industry was absolutely appalling
He would sometimes be a moment late at school,
and explain that he had been detained verifying
a quotation, process in which he would often
indulge at four O'Clock in the morning AT one
time be took house in the country for an Autumn
vacation Of SIX weeks, and sent his family TO take
possession Of the premises; but instead OF enoyiog
the rustic leisure which he had anticipated, be got
upon the scent of some curious passages In the
clsssics aud rema ned with his books IN town for
the whole time without even seeing the country
house. As teacher Of Lat and Greek, he was
an enthusiastic admrer of ancient liberty aid repub-
hcsnnm, but was 80 little cOnversant with modern
politics that he scarcely knew one public measure or
man from anOiber. He did not escspe, however,
without suspect from partisan Jealousy. For sew
eral,esIs he was watched AID tradGced as man OF
dar perous political seDti nents. His enemies mtde
spies OF his pupils, encouraging them to bring home
stories of bis zeal for liberty. They would frame
their reports to suit the pleasure of their employ
ers. The simple hearted pedagOgue was sorely
afflicted by there trials bu. his chief sorrow was
the corruption to which the minds of his pdpls
were thus exposed.
Among the schoOlfellOws of the author were
fSabcs HOrner AID Henry BrOughsm. Horner
gave early promise of the character by which he
sihce b-came distinguished as British statesman
He was tht n, ever AFTER, grave, studiou', honor
able, kud, steaoly pursuing his own cultivation
and With all his actions marked by thous htfulness
aid dignity. Brougham, alsO, showed the germ
which have since rpened toto brilliant nOtpriety.
He was pugnaclous, resOlute, fixed In his own opio
lois, and without q particle Of reverence for a0-
tboriiy. The tone of manners in the aigh Schoo
was iLtolerable. Vulgarity and iudeness were the
order Of the day The boys were coarse in Ian
gusYe, ytnulaiing the most indecent ideas in
Dialect Of broadcast Scotch and so destitute OF con-
mon civity, that no lady could venture to be seen
within the walls A taste for literature was so
unheard OF, that Cockburn expresses doubt
whether he ever voluntarily read single book, or
even fifty pages, daring bis whole career at the
High School.
The dress of the boys was uniqIe. "It consisted
of 6 round black hat; a ehrt fastened at the eek
b. bls OK ribbon, and, except on dress days, un-
rUfled; cloth waistcOat, rather large, with two
rows OF bu,tors and Of button ep, that II could
be bu,toned on either ride, which, when one side
got dirty was convenient; sngle breasted jacket,
which il due time got tail and became coat;
brown corduroy breeches, tied at tle knees by
snowy knot of brown cotton tape; worsted stock
ipss in winter, biue cotton stockings in summer,
and white cotton for dress; clumsy shoes made to
be ussd on either foot, and each requiring to be
used on alternate feet daily; brass or copper
buckles The coat and wais'c cost were always Of
glariI colors, such as bright blue, grass green,
ard scarlet. No tuch machinery as what are nov
trmed braces or suspendeIs had then been i'm
agned."
In the year 1793 the embryo Judge was sent to the
College Of Edinburgh. Here much of his time
va, wasted in vain attempts TO pursue thewearsome
Latin. AmeDg bis teachers, were one or tao, in
their day, Dot unknown by name to the academic
youih of this country. Old Andrew Da,zell, the
author of the once famous Ccllectanea Graeca, was
then il bis prime. An amiable enthusiast in clas
sical learning if not successful teacher he Infused
cob'aeion Of his own example into the dullest
youths He could stimuli 1tA them 10 ACTIVITY in