These Gregories, though they did not care for popularity, or possibly because they did not care for popularity, and never went out of their way to attain it, usually ended by being on the winning side—that is to say, public opinion often changed from being against them to being with them. They had such a gift of laughing at the right time, of passing over the bitterness of their adversaries, and even exposing the partisanship of their allies. Take the story which Sir Archibald Alison gives us in his autobiography, of how a mathematical examination was once rearranged for his benefit in the University of Edinburgh. It was in the time of Professor Leslie, in the spring of 1808, that this examination in the class of mathematics took place. Archibald Alison had three very able competitors. These were Borthwick of Crookston, J. M’Pherson Macleod, and Mr Edward Irving. Young Alison, nervous and excitable in face of the examination paper, became suddenly destitute of ideas, and could only solve two of the six problems which were set. It was all the more distressing, because he knew that, being by his mother a member of the great mathematical family of Gregories, he was expected to come out first. The wretched day came to an end at last, and the boy went home in the evening literally shedding tears of vexation. Immediately he was freed from the anxiety of the lecture-room, he solved the problems rapidly and clearly, in a way that annoyed and pleased him almost equally. The professor, it seems, when he read the papers, could not give the first prize to Alison on the strength of his answers. He therefore decided that the work of that day should not hold, and appointed a second date for the trial. The next time the result was all that he and Archibald Alison could have desired! This little episode entertained Sir Archibald immensely, and is a curious indication of the lengths to which their friends were prepared to go for them, but while in many families, influence, however acceptable it may be to themselves, is anything but a good to the community, the influence exerted for the Gregories was always rewarded by the sensible, thorough, and often brilliant way in which they carried on their work.
The members of the family, who took up the study of medicine were great healers, but how large was their idea of what that word meant! To cure the body or to fail in curing it was one thing, but to get at the reasons of illness in the circumstances and troubles of the patient, to take away the effect through taking away the cause, was ever the Gregories’ way. They understood many an unspoken heart history, and from their own strong natures gave both strength and comfort to the sick. It is no wonder then to see Burns clinging to the friendship of his great physician for support and for love, knowing it was to be found in ‘that man of iron justice, who was made without compassion for a poor poetic sinner.’ Nor it must in truth be added, was Dr Gregory any less severe with unpoetic sinners. For there is a case recorded when a great aldermanic magnate came to consult him from the west country, expecting his case to be considered as one of grave importance and significance. What was then his surprise, when he was shortly but critically surveyed by the doctor, and shown out of the consulting room with directions equivalent to this: ‘Have nothing richer than roast mutton and rice pudding for dinner for the next three months, and then if you care to let me have the pleasure of seeing you again, you will be a different man’—a transformation which the doctor evidently thought very desirable!
One can see that life could never be smooth to such a man. But at least the Gregories in all the struggles of life, in the riots of tongues, were ever sure of love and quiet by their own fireside. That came to them because they were such great lovers, just as the difficulties outside came from the same strong natures seeking their own way too much. It has to be remembered in connection with this that they were usually right, but that does not make the contest any less bitter. If one could only think of them as having had peaceful lives, as Thomas Reid at least had, but it was always a struggle, if not a battle with them till the pale conqueror came to still the hubbub for ever.
They were great men, no mere dreamers. They were workers with busy minds, to whom life was ever too short for the fulfilment of their plans, but death never came to them before they had earned their rest.
All the great universities of this country who received the teaching of the Gregories, have felt themselves honoured by their service, and have adorned their annals with their name.
The End.
INDEX
- Aberdeen, University of, [52], [92].
- Aberdeen, Grammar School of, [27], [52], [92], [100], [125].
- Alison, Sir Archibald, [155], [156].
- Alison, William Pulteney, [122], [124], [143], [155].
- Anderson, David, of Finzeach, [10].
- Anderson, Janet, [10], [26].
- Arbuthnot, Dr, [68], [72], [73], [74].
- Beattie, [109], [119]–21.
- Burnet, Bishop, [27], [65].
- Burnet, Helen, of Elrick, [99].
- Burnet, Mary, [32].
- Burns, [129], [133], [134], [135], [157].
- Canaan Lodge, [136], [150].
- Cambridge University, [70].
- Cant, Andrew, [12], [13], [153].
- Carlyle, Alexander, [103], [104], [116].
- Chalmers, Principal, [98], [100].
- Charlett, Dr, [64], [65], [71].
- Crichtons, The, [13]–18.
- Christchurch, [78], [82], [83], [126].
- Christison, Sir Robert, [128], [130].
- Clerk of Penicuik, quoted, [71].
- Cockburn, Lord, [128], [132].
- College, Royal, of Physicians, [137].
- Collins, John, [28], [29], [31].
- Cullen, [101], [111], [113], [114], [115], [122], [126], [127], [130].
- Drumoak, [10], [11], [14].
- Edinburgh Academy, [147].
- Edinburgh, University of, [49]–53, [55]–58, [84], [85], [86], [92], [100], [113], [114], [115], [126], [127], [128], [130], [139], [145], [147], [149].
- Flamsteed, [59], [68], [69].
- Flanders, [93].
- Forbes, Catherine of Monymusk, [98].
- Forbes, Hon. Elizabeth, [107], [111], [117].
- Frendraught, Viscount, [15], [16], [18].
- Galileo, [29], [30].
- Galton, [10].
- George, Prince, of Denmark, [68], [69].
- Gordon, Isabel, [23], [25].
- Gregorie, Alexander, [14], [15], [16], [17], [20].
- Gregorie, Charles, [89].
- Gregorie, David, of Kinairdy, [19]–25, [153].
- Gregorie, David, [89]–91.
- Gregory, David, Sav. Prof., [52]–76, [77], [154].
- Gregory, Dean, [77]–83, [154].
- Gregory, Dorothea, [115], [122], [123], [124].
- Gregory, Duncan Farquharson, [147]–151, [155].
- Gregorie, Prof. James, I., [27]–51, [53], [153].
- Gregorie, Prof. James, II., [84]–87.
- Gregorie, Prof. James, III., [93]–99, [154].
- Gregorie, Prof. James, IV., [98], [99].
- Gregory, Prof. James, V., [82], [122], [125]–140, [155].
- Gregorie, John, Rev., [11]–14, [153].
- Gregory, Prof. John, [100]–124, [125], [154].
- Gregory, Philip Spencer, [22], [124], [127].
- Gregory, Prof. William, [141]–147, [155].
- Grey, Lady Mary, [81].
- Halley, [60], [64], [65].
- Hamilton, Professor, [136], [137].
- Hearne, quoted, [63], [65].
- Holland, [19], [24].
- Hudson, [64], [65].
- Hume, David, [109], [116], [119], [120].
- Huygens, [29], [34], [35], [50].
- Infirmary, Royal, of Edinburgh, [136], [137].
- Innes, Prof., [23].
- Jameson, George, [33].
- Johnson, Samuel, [69], [108].
- Keill, [62].
- Kelvin, Lord, quoted, [151].
- Kinairdy, [13], [14], [20], [21], [22], [24], [84].
- King’s College, Aberdeen, [20], [24], [96], [97], [98], [100], [105], [108], [109], [112], [126], [142], [143].
- Leyden, [102], [103], [104], [127].
- Liebig, [142], [146].
- Lyttelton, George, [107].
- Lyttelton, Lord, [112].
- Macgregors, The, [9], [152].
- Macgregor of Roro, [9], [89].
- Mackenzie, George, [18].
- Maclaurin, Colin, [76], [86].
- M’Leod, Isabella, of Geanies, [132].
- Mallet, David, [87], [89].
- Marischal College, Aberdeen, [27], [86].
- Monboddo, [112], [135].
- Monro, Professor, Primus, [100], [101].
- Monro, Principal, [58].
- Montague, Mrs, [107], [108], [115], [116], [123].
- Newton, Sir Isaac, [23], [29], [34], [50], [54], [59], [60], [64], [68], [70], [86].
- Oliphants of Langton, [61], [87].
- Oxford, University of, [58], [61], [63]–67, [78], [79], [80].
- Padua, [30], [32].
- Pennant, quoted, [152].
- Pepys, Samuel, [65], [66], [67].
- Pitcairne, Dr Archibald, [53], [58], [70], [84].
- Regents, [105], [106].
- Reid, Prof. Thomas, [23], [25], [90], [91], [106], [109], [119], [130], [131], [132].
- Rheims, [93].
- Robertson, Principal, [102], [116], [132].
- Rob Roy, [94], [95].
- Royal Society, [31], [32], [60], [61], [68], [107].
- Rutherford, Professor, [101], [111], [112], [113].
- Scott, Sir Walter, quoted, [95], [100], [139].
- Shelburne, Earl of, quoted, [79], [83].
- Sherborne Hospital, [80], [81].
- Sinclair, Prof. George, [35], [36], [42].
- Skene, Alexander, [47].
- Skene, David, [108], [109].
- Skene, Robert, [52].
- Smalridge, Dr, [64], [75], [76].
- Society, Royal Medical, [101].
- Spalding, quoted, [12].
- St Andrews University, [33], [44]–49, [84], [85], [89].
- Stewart, Dugald, [130], [132].
- Telescope, Achromatic, [62].
- Telescope, Reflecting, [28], [29], [31].
- Trinity College, Cambridge, [148].
- Union Negotiations, [70]–73.
- Walker, Jean, of Orchiston, [19], [23], [52].
- Wallis, Dr, [31], [64], [67].
- Westminster School, [77], [78], [83].
- Whiston, quoted, [54], [60].
- Wilkes, [103].
- William and Margaret, [87], [88], [89].
- Wise Club, [109], [110].
- Witchcraft, [21].