[Illustration]
THE ACADEMIC GREGORIES
[Illustration]
BY
AGNES GRAINGER STEWART:
FAMOUS
·SCOTS·
·SERIES·
PUBLISHED BY ●
OLIPHANT ANDERSON
& FERRIER·EDINBVRGH
AND LONDON ◯ ◯
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The designs and ornaments of this
volume are by Mr Joseph Brown, and
the printing is from the press of
Messrs Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh.
_April 1901_
PREFACE
As far back as I can remember there hung in my father’s study two
prints, the one a mezzotint of Professor James Gregory, and the other,
inferior as a picture, but most beautiful in its subject, an engraving
of William Pulteney Alison.
In answer to nursery enquiries as to the stories belonging to these two
pictures, there had always perforce to be some dark facts related in
connection with Dr James Gregory, but these were kept rather in the
background, and the impression we got of him came nearer to the
incidental portrait which Robert Louis Stevenson draws of him in ‘Weir
of Hermiston.’ With William Pulteney Alison we could, as it were, shake
hands, for the story teller could here insert a piece of real history,
of how, long ago, this man had sat beside his crib watching over him,
holding him back from the arms of Death. We watched with him as he sat
there ministering to this sick child, keeping alive the little flicker
of life, keeping the little restless body still. ‘If he moves, he will
faint,’ Professor Alison had said. ‘If he faints, he will die.’ Across
the gap of years other children held their breath till the little
patient fell asleep.
But the most interesting fact about Gregory and Alison to us as children
was that they had both been professors of the Practice of Physic in
Edinburgh University, and the little boy who had so nearly died now
lectured in the place of the physician who had saved his life.
This early acquaintance gave me a love for these professors, and when I
came to be asked to write a book upon the Academic members of the old
Scottish family of Gregory, two of them at least were familiar as
friends.
In the preparation of my book I have received much kindness, and I
should especially like to thank Mr Philip Spencer Gregory, of Lincoln’s
Inn, Barrister-at-Law, late Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, for the
help which he as a representative of the family was able to give me, and
also for his very interesting ‘Records of the Family of Gregory.’ My
thanks are also due to Professor Campbell Fraser for personal
introduction to sources of information, to Mr Turner, Savilian Professor
of Astronomy in the University of Oxford, and to Mr Henry Johnstone of
the Edinburgh Academy and Mr R. S. Rait, Fellow of New College, Oxford,
who have read my proofs. I must also record my debt of gratitude to the
Editors for the great kindness and courtesy they have shown to me.
AGNES GRAINGER STEWART.
CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER I
THE GREGORIES 9
CHAPTER II
DAVID GREGORIE OF KINAIRDY, 1625–1720 19
CHAPTER III
JAMES GREGORIE, 1638–1675 27
CHAPTER IV
DAVID GREGORY, 1661–1708 52
CHAPTER V
DAVID GREGORY, 1696–1767 77
CHAPTER VI
(1) JAMES GREGORIE, 1666–1742; (2) CHARLES GREGORIE, 1681–1739; 84
(3) DAVID GREGORIE, 1712–1765
CHAPTER VII
(1) JAMES GREGORIE, 1674–1733; (2) JAMES GREGORIE, 1701–1755 92
CHAPTER VIII
JOHN GREGORY, 1724–1773 100
CHAPTER IX
JAMES GREGORY, 1753–1821 125
CHAPTER X
WILLIAM GREGORY, 1803–1858 141
CHAPTER XI
RETROSPECT 152
Rev. John Gregorie of Drumoak = Janet Anderson
|
+---------------------+--------------------------+
| |
David of Kinnairdie, d. 1730 James, St And., Mathematics, 1669–74
| Edinburgh, Mathematics, 1674–75
| |
+--------+-------+------------+-----------+--------+ |
| | | | | |
David, Edin., | Charles, St And., | | |
Math., 1683–91 | Math., Isobel Margaret |
Oxford, Astronomy, | 1707–39 = = |
1692–1708 | | Patrick Innes Lewis Reid |
| James, St Andrews, | | | |
| Phil., 1685–91 | Alex. Innes, | |
| Edinburgh, Math., | Mar. Coll., | |
| 1691–1725 | Philosophy, | |
| | 1739–42 | James, King’s
David, Oxford, David, | Coll., Medicine,
Modern History, St Andrews, Math., | 1725–32
1724–67 1739–65 |
+------------+
| |
Thomas Reid, King’s Coll., |
Phil., 1751–64 |
Glas., Phil., 1764–96 |
+----------------------------+--+
| |
James, King’s Coll., John,
Med., 1732–55 King’s Coll., Phil., 1746–49
King’s Coll., Med., 1755–66
Edinb., Practice of Physic, 1766–73
|
+--------------------------------+
| |
James, Edinb., Inst. of Med., 1776–89 Dorothea = Rev. Arch. Alison
" Practice of Physic, 1790–1821 |
| |
+---------------+----------+ William Pulteney Alison
| | Edinb., Med. Juris., 1820–21
William, King’s Coll., Chem., 1839–44 | " Inst. of Med., 1821–42
Edinb., Chem., 1844–58 | " Practice of Physic, 1842–55
|
Duncan Farquharson, Fellow of Trin. Coll., Camb.
THE ACADEMIC GREGORIES
CHAPTER I
THE GREGORIES
‘The moon’s on the lake, and the mist’s on the brae,
And the clan has a name that is nameless by day.
Then gather, gather, gather Grigalach!’
_The Macgregor’s Gathering_—SCOTT.
The able Scots family of Gregorie can trace its descent from the
Macgregors of Roro, the younger branch of the Glenlyon family. The name
Gregorie,—which is the Saxon form of M’Gregor—had, most fortunately for
its owners, been assumed before 1603, the darkest time in the annals of
that clan. The proscription which then fell upon everyone bearing the
name of M’Gregor could not touch the Gregories; but the change of name,
which saved them from the penalties that fell so heavily upon their
Highland cousins could not and did not alter their natures, and all the
Gregories, with perhaps the single exception of the Dean of Christ
Church, were at heart M’Gregors. Nothing that civilisation, education,
wealth and society could do to modify their disposition was able
entirely to obliterate in them the warlike character of their Highland
forefathers. We remember this, and when in the nineteenth century we see
a learned professor of the Practice of Physic beating his
fellow-professor in Edinburgh University quadrangle, we know that he was
not really James Gregory but James M’Gregor.
The claim of the Gregories to recognition in Scottish biography does not
rest on the outstanding genius of any individual member of the family,
so much as on the number of great and brilliant men belonging to it, who
have, in their day, formed and educated generations of the youth of
Scotland. From the middle of the seventeenth century to the middle of
the nineteenth century, with a gap of only a few years, some of the
Gregorie connection were professing either mathematics or medicine in
one or other of the Scottish universities. They were great teachers,
lucid, clear-sighted and advanced in their views, and naturally leaders
of men. Galton, in his book on _Hereditary Genius_, in which he
‘endeavoured to speak of none but the most illustrious names,’ cites the
Gregories as a striking example of hereditary scientific gifts. He
considers that the mathematical power came into the family with Janet
Anderson, who married the Rev. John Gregorie, parish minister of Drumoak
in the year 1621. From these two are descended no less than fourteen
professors, and as there is no record of special power in the Gregorie
family till we come to the sons of John Gregorie, it may be taken for
granted that the ability came from the Andersons, who were distinguished
in the foregoing generations.
Janet Anderson was the daughter of David Anderson of Finzeach, in
Aberdeenshire; a man who was possessed of such universal talent that he
was popularly called ‘Davie do a’ thing.’ Two of his deeds come down to
posterity; the one, the building of St Nicholas steeple in Aberdeen,
upon which he himself is said to have placed the weather-cock; and the
other, the removal of a great boulder, called Knock Maitland, which lay
in the entrance to Aberdeen harbour and endangered the passage of every
ship sailing in or out. This he removed by placing chains under it at
low tide, and fastening them to a huge raft, which at high tide lifted
up the rock and carried it out to the open sea.
Janet Anderson’s near kinsman was the Professor of Mathematics in the
University of Paris, and she herself was a great mathematician and is
said to have taught her sons. If that was the case, one at least of her
pupils did her great credit, for her younger son, James, lived to take a
foremost place among the mathematicians of his day, and to be the
inventor of the Gregorian Telescope.
In 1621, when the Rev. John Gregorie married Janet Anderson, he was the
minister of Drumoak, a remote parish on the Dee, where in peaceful times
he might have fulfilled his quiet duties with little to disturb him.
Towards the end of the first half of the seventeenth century, however,
Scotland was in a ferment, and in a state of civil and religious turmoil
which made itself felt throughout the land. In Aberdeenshire, both the
clergy and the laity were in sympathy rather with Laud and Prelacy than
with Henderson and Presbytery. This brought them into violent collision
with the party in power, and among the rural clergy there were few names
more distasteful to the Covenanters than the name of John Gregorie. When
therefore in 1639, the government sent an army to coerce refractory
Aberdeenshire, he knew that he would receive no toleration and fled,
meaning to join the king at Newcastle. The ship in which he tried to
escape was boarded, and the fugitives were made to return, and in the
following year Gregorie’s fears were realised, for General Monro, who
was then stationed near Aberdeen on the outlook for rebels from the
Covenant—especially rich ones—remembered the minister of Drumoak.
Spalding tells us the pitiful story.
‘Upone the second day of Junij, Mr Johne Gregorie, minister at Dalmoak,
wes brocht in to Munro be ane pairtie of soldiouris. He wes takin out of
his naikit bed upone the nicht, and his hous pitifullie plunderit. He
wes cloislie keepit in Skipper Andersonis hous haveing fyve muskiteris
watching him day and nicht, sustenit upone his awin expensis. None, no
nocht his awin wyfe could have privie conference of him, so straitlie
wes he watchit. At last he is fynit to pay generall Major Munro 1000
merkis for his outstanding agains the covenant and syne gat libertie to
go. Bot in the Generall Assemblie holdin in July, he wes nevertheless
simpliciter deprivit, becaus he wold not subscryve the covenant; and
when all wes done he is forst to yield, cum in and subscryve, as ye have
hierafter.’
It was not till 1641 that, at St Andrews, the Laird of Drum’s petition
for his restoration had effect; when in token of his reinstatement,
Gregorie along with his rival, Mr Andrew Cant, was chosen to preach at
the visitation of the Presbytery of Aberdeen. This fellowship with a
man, whose qualities have been embalmed in his name, very nearly cost
him the favour of the party to which he now belonged. Here again is
Spalding’s account, naïve and full of the spirit of the time.
‘Upone Tuysday 6^{th} September, Mr Johne Gregorie, minister at Dulmoak
at the visitatioun of the Kirk of New Abirdene teichit most lernidlie
upone the 4^{th} verss of the 2^{nd} chapdour to the Collosians, and
reprehendit the order of our Kirk and new brocht in poyntes. Mr Andrew
Cant, sitting besyde the reidar, as his use was, offendit at this
doctrein, quicklie cloissit the reidaris buke, and laid down the glass
befoir it wes run, thinking the minister sould the sooner mak an end;
bot he beheld and preichit half ane hour longer nor the tyme. Sermon
endit the bretheren convenis to their visitatioun, quhair Mr Andrew Cant
impugnit this doctrein, desyring the said Mr Johne to put the samen in
wreit, who answerit, he wold not only wreit bot print his preiching, if
neid so requirit, and baid be all what he had teichit as orthodox
doctrien. The bretheren hard all and had their owne opiniouns, and but
ony more censure they disolvit, sumwhat perturbit with Cantis
curiositie. Upone Thuirsday, he raillit out in his sermon aganes the
said Mr Johne Gregorie’s doctrein, and on Sunday likwais. At last, be
mediatioun of the toune’s balleis at a coup of wyne, they twa war satled
with small credet to Cantis bussines.’
Though Gregorie was not censured by the whole body of the clergy in
1642, as there seems little doubt Mr Cant had intended, he was not
absolutely free from anxiety. No doubt life went smoothly enough with
him at times, for he amassed quite a large fortune. The estates of
Kinairdy and Netherdale were given to him on the insolvency of the
Crichtons in satisfaction of £3,800 which he had lent to them; and his
wife on her part had succeeded on her father’s death to a portion of the
estates of Finzeach. The land brought its sorrow with it, and passed out
of the hands of the family again, but that was afterwards.
In 1649 John Gregorie was once more deposed, and for the last time. The
Synod recommended that he should be reinstated, but he did not long
survive this recommendation. He died in 1650, and was buried at Drumoak.
Among the slaty monuments in the churchyard there is none that bears the
name of John Gregorie. Two hundred and fifty years have obliterated what
must once have been written, and the Dee is gaining ground from the
graveyard at every time of spate. The old church stands and the manse,
which has been turned into a farmhouse, but that is all.
There is a memorial of John Gregorie and his wife in a mortification for
the education and maintenance of ten poor orphans ‘within the said
Burgh’ of Aberdeen.
John Gregory left three sons, Alexander, who was served heir to his
father’s very considerable property in 1651, David, known as David of
Kinairdy, and James, the great professor of astronomy. His two
daughters, Margaret and Janet, were both married, the latter to Thomas
Thomson of Faichfield.
Loving and generous, as no one who reads about Alexander Gregorie can
doubt that he was, he would yet barely have been included in this book,
if it had not been for his terrible death, which made the family estates
fall into the hands of his younger brother. Kinairdy and Netherdale,
which had been allotted by law to his father on the bankruptcy of the
Crichtons, were too much favoured by their former possessors to be
relinquished without disturbance into the hands of their rightful
owners. The Crichtons harried Alexander Gregorie, and that so
frequently, that he was obliged at last in 1660 to seek the shelter of
the law. James, second Viscount Frendraught, took no notice of the
summons to appear at court, and so was outlawed, but this sentence was
remitted upon his giving security (in a bond of £40,000 Scots or £3,333,
6s. 8d. sterling) to keep the peace and to appear before the Privy
Council to answer the charges made against him. Bonds such as this
succeeded each other, till the final outbreak which occurred on the 7th
of March 1664. Then with the shed blood of Alexander Gregorie came
peace, but at what a cost. In the records of the Justiciary Court there
is a description of the murder, which somehow belies its dusty origin,
and sounds as if some old Aberdeenshire gossip were telling the tale
with real enjoyment over her peat fire.
‘It is of veritie that the said James, Viscount of Frendraught and the
said James Crichtoun of Kinairdy, and Frances Crichtoun his sone, having
unjustlie conceaved ane deidlie hatred and cruell malice against
umq^{le} Mr Alex^r Gregorie of Netherdeall and the said Frances
Crichtoun having upon the sevent day of March last by-past rancountered
with the said Mr Alex^r Gregorie at the hous of Mr Alex^r Gairdine
minister at Forge, the said Frances treacherouslie inveited and desyred
the said Mr Alex^r to goe alongs with him from the said hous, which he
fearing no harme did, and as they went alongs the said Frances Crichtone
without any provocatione (of) foirthought, felony and precogitat malice
drew his sword and rane at the said umq^{le} Mr Alex^r Gregorie thinking
to have killed him at one thrust; but the said umq^{le} Mr Alex^r,
everting the stroak and closing with him, not offering to doe him any
prejudice at all, the said James Duffus drew his sword and stroke at the
said umq^{le} Mr Alex^r whereat his horse running away and the said
Frances mounting on his horse, he divers times ran upon the said
umq^{le} Mr Alex^r and wounded him in his arme, whereupon the said
umq^{le} Mr Alex^r yielded himself prisoner to the said Frances and
delivered to him his sword being requyred be him sua to doe, hoping that
his honour would therrupon have obliged him to have desisted from all
furder trubling and assalting him, but upon the contrair the said
Frances baislie and treacherouslie with the assistance of the said James
Duffus his servant persewed him more eagerlie than befoir, fyred
pistolls at him, gave him several wounds in his breast and head to the
effusione of his blood in great quantitie and then caused him to mount
up behind the said James Duffus and caryed him to the hous of George
Morisone of Boignie, and putt him in ane chamber wherein the said James
Viscount of Frendraught was lodged and then the said Frances Crichtone
left him and upon the morne, being the last day of March last by past,
about thrie hours in the morning, the said Frances Crichtone accompanied
with Walter Henry, gairdiner at Frendraught, William Innes yr., George
Mearns yr., Rob Tarres yr., James Howie, sone to Georg Howie in
Tounslie, and the said James Duffus all in armes cam to the said hous of
Boignie, where the said umq^{le} Mr Alex^r Gregorie was lying bleeding
in his wounds, they and the said James Viscount of Frendraught and
George Forbes his servant efter many baise and opprobious threatenings
uttered be them against the said umq^{le} Mr Alex^r did most inhumanly
and barbarouslie dragg him out of his bed as he was lying bleiding in
his wounds, and that without cloak, hat, or shoves, or bootts, and did
cast him overthwart ane hors, upon his breast, his head and armes
hanging on the ane syd and his leggs on the other syd and so caryed him
away in ane cold and stormy morneing to George Yong’s hous in Coanloch
being ane obscure place and myles distant from the said hous of Boignie
where they keiped him prisoner ... in his wounds be the space of threi
days, _tanquam in privato carcere_; and then, deserting and leaving him,
he was upon the threttein day of the said month by the help of some
friends caryed to the burgh of Aberdeine, where he lay languishing of
the said wounds and the bad usage which he had receaved of the
foir-named persons, and then dyed of the samyne and sua was cruelly and
unnaturally killed and murdered be them; of which murder under trust, at
least slaughter committed upone precogitat malice and forethought
felony, as also of the said usurpatione of His Majestie’s authority in
takeing and apprehending unwarrantably ane frie leidge, the foirsaids
persons and ilk ane of them, as also the said James Crichtoune of
Kinairdie by whose instigation and hunding out the foirsaids crymes of
slaughter upon foirthought felony and precogitat malice and usurpation
of His Majestie’s authoritie were committed and are actors airt and
pairt, and the samyne being found be ane assize they aught to be
punyshed theirfor in their persons and goods to the terour and example
of utheris to commit the lyk heirafter.’
Surely this was not a case for the King’s leniency; yet because Francis
Crichtone was a Roman Catholic, and favoured by the Duke of York, a
warrant came from His Majesty for the suspension of the trial of Francis
Crichtone.
‘Compeired Mr George Mackenzie advocate, and produced ane letter from
His Majestie directed to the Justice General and Justice depute whereof
the tenor follows, Superscribed Charles R. Whereas we are informed that
Alexander Gregorie did not die of the wounds alleged to have been given
him by Frances Crichtone now prisoner at Edinburgh, these are to require
you to suspend that criminal process against Frances Crichtone until we
shall hear further concerning that business from our Privy Council at
their next meeting in June, for which this shall be your warrand. Given
at our Court at Whitehall the 13^{th} day of May 1664 and of our reign
the 16^{th} year by His Majestie’s command.
‘Sic subitur Lauderdaill.
‘To our right trustie and right well-beloved cousin and counselloure and
to our trusty and well-beloved our Justice General or Justice Depute.’
James Crichtone of Kinairdy and Viscount Frendraught were acquitted at
the trial, the assistants at the murder were ‘put to His Majestie’s
horn, and all their goods forfeit.’ As for Francis Crichtone, the
principal in this affair, having procured the postponement of his trial,
he escaped from the Tolbooth Prison; and after another futile attempt on
the part of the Gregories to secure a trial, he obtained a pardon under
the Great Seal in 1682.