Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-02
PROFESSOR MACBETH.
4 sketch of His Life.

own inimitable way, that Sidney Smith
was as much amyth as King Arthur,
because, argued the humorist), had it
been otherwise, so tinea character could
not have lived and died in England
without having been discovered, and in
some way recognized and hOnOred by
his countrymen. So, out OF West Viz
pinia. and from our own midst, has re-
Gently passed man certainly unappre-
ciated, and almost unknown and unrec-
ognized, who, nevertheless, as profound
scholar, critic, philologist and poet, was
entitled to rank second to no other in
West Virginia. We allude To the late
Prof J. V. Macbeth, who died at his
residence in MOrgantOwn, MOnongalia
county, on the 9th day OF July. 1879,
late professor OF history and Bellies Let
tiers in our University, and the author
OF "The Mirth and Might OF English Lit
erature.' This was the only one OF his
works familiarity known 10 the public,
ami perhaps no work on the higher
criticism has found more cordial recep-
ton from the public, or passed more
rapidly TO the third edition. When
first issued. il az once elected favorable
criticism from the most authOritiye lit
erary, oracles, and gave the author high
rank in classical and collegiate circles.
But we now know with absolute verify
that in this publication, Prof. Macbeth
issued bv no means his most note
worthy production. On the contrary,
his unpublished works, left with his
family, display still higher order Of
scholarship, and genius. Among other
compositions. he has left a didactic
poem of twelve hundred lines called
"The New Argument which, when
published. ought To take rank i'm perma-
neut English literature along with the
Excursion of Wordsworth. Its march
Is over high mountain ranges ofthOught
and its music and step worthy TO be
called MiltOnic.
We learn from recently published
obituary that Prof. Macbeth was born
at Barbieston College, Dalrymple, near
Ayr, Scotland, in 1914. His father, DR..
james Macbeth. was an eminent sur
econ i'm the Royal Navy, and his mother,
a woman Of great culture, was descend
cl from a line OF distinguished Scotch
PRESBYTERIAN ministers, his grandfather,
Rev. Samuel Walker, ID. d., of the par
ish of Dalrymple, being an intimate
friend Of Robert Burns, and before
whom the poet recited his earliest verses.
Prof Macbeth was graduate OF the
University of Glasgow, from which he
received a medal Tor the prize poem in
Greek. After taking the degree OF \.
NJ, he studied divinity in the
same University, and subsequently en-
tered the Presbyterian ministry.
I'm 1853, he came To America, locating
i'm New York city, and afterwards at
Hudson, New York, devoting himself to
the higher education OF young men.
subsequently,, he was appointed
professor of history, b''',S tiir,S,
ami Political economy in the
University of West Virginia at Morgan
town. a position which ne was eminent
w qualified To ill. and his retirement
from which was, We believe, a serious
los, % the Institution. The Regents, in
1875, conferred upon him 4 literary de-
gree, and expressed by resolution their
high appreciation OF his attain
mcuts.
In his native country, he ranked
among his personal friends, Thomas
Campbell, and DR.. Chalmers, from both
of whom We are told ne held very fiat
tcring letters of commentator.
I'm private life, Prof. Macbeth IlluStra-
tel an exalted type of Christian charac-
ter. being distinguished by steadtast
faith, and a supreme trust in the good
ness and favor OF Divine Provi-
deuCe.
I'm literature, he had 4 distinct and
thorough contempt for all shams and
hali.work. and we can only hope that
his own spirit Of rarncStness and thor
oushucSS i'm all things, may survive IN
some Of the young men with whom he
was thrown i'm contact, and quasi paren-
tai association. And should our State
ever succeed in establishing a literature
of her own, his name will doubtless be
remembered, along with those OF Stro-
ther and Leighton, as among its earliest
representatives.
DANIEL b. Lucas.