the discussion of local politics to a higher level. He had the mortification of being unable to hinder the rejection of Macaulay by the electors of Edinburgh in 1847, but the counsel which he offered in the ‘Scotsman’ contributed to secure Macaulay's re-election in 1852. In directing the policy of the ‘Scotsman,’ Russel was opposed to all interference of ministers of religion in politics. His zeal was seldom indiscreet, yet in 1852 it was the cause of an action for libel against the journal, in which the plaintiff, Duncan McLaren, liberal candidate for Edinburgh, was awarded 400l. damages. This sum, together with the costs of the action, the whole amounting to 1,200l., was paid by public subscription.
From June 1855 the ‘Scotsman,’ which had hitherto appeared only twice a week, was issued daily. The price was then altered, for the fourth and last time, to a penny. Russel's editorial labours were thus greatly increased. He wrote an article in each number, and sometimes more than one. By way of recognising his able, consistent, and powerful advocacy of enlightened liberal principles, and as ‘a mark of respect for his honourable and independent conduct in public and private life,’ a testimonial, consisting of 1,600l. and silver plate, was presented to him by his fellow-citizens at a public meeting in the Waterloo Rooms. It is probably with reference to the silver plate that he was asked, ‘What is your coat of arms?’ and made answer, ‘My shirt-sleeves.’ Another honour which he valued highly was his special election, in 1875, to the Reform Club by the committee, ‘for distinguished public services.’ He was the tenth who had been thus elected since the foundation of the club in 1836.
He attended and described the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. A serious illness in 1872 compelled him to winter in the south of France. He died suddenly, of angina pectoris, on 18 July 1876. Russel was twice married, his first wife being Miss McWilliam, his second Mrs. Evans. He left children by both marriages. A daughter married Mr. F. D. Finlay, the conductor and proprietor of the leading Belfast newspaper, the ‘Northern Whig.’ Russel was noted as a conversationalist as well as a writer, but he dreaded speaking in public, and declined in 1872 an invitation to become a candidate for the lord-rectorship of Aberdeen. Angling was his favourite recreation, and he wrote much on the subject. His articles in the ‘Scotsman,’ the ‘Quarterly,’ and ‘Blackwood’ were collected in his work on ‘The Salmon’ (1864). An article by him on ‘Agricultural Complaints,’ which appeared in the ‘Edinburgh Review’ for April 1850, was highly praised by Lord Jeffrey. The work of his life is to be found in the columns of the ‘Scotsman,’ and made in no small degree that journal's reputation.
[Alexander Russel and The Story of the Scotsman, both printed for private circulation; Russel of the Scotsman, by H. G. Graham, in Fraser's Magazine for September 1880, pp. 301–317.]
RUSSEL, GEORGE (1728–1767), poet, son of Christopher Russel of Minorca, was born in that island in 1728. His father, who was born in 1670 and died at Ciuderdale in Minorca in 1729, was a distinguished officer of the 19th regiment of foot, who had served in Flanders and in the wars of Queen Anne. George Russel is said to have been educated at Westminster School. He matriculated from St. Mary Hall, Oxford, on 28 May 1746. In 1750 he graduated B.A. Through the influence of John Boyle, fifth earl of Cork and Orrery [q. v.], with whose son, Hamilton Boyle, he was on familiar terms, he obtained the rectory of Skull (now called Schull), co. Cork, in 1753. There he died in 1767. Russel wrote much verse from 1744 until his death in 1767. In 1769 his remains were published in two volumes in Cork, under the title of ‘The Works of the Rev. George Russel, Rector of Skull, in the Diocese of Cork.’ Among Russel's poems is the popular fable called ‘The Chameleon,’ which is generally attributed to James Merrick [q. v.] Russel's verse is neatly turned and sometimes witty.
[Malone's Prose Works of Dryden, i. 508–10; Chalmers's Biogr. Dict.; O'Donoghue's Poets of Ireland; Gent. Mag.; Foster's Alumni Oxon.]
RUSSEL, JOHN (1740?–1817), Scots divine, a native of Moray, was born about 1740. After completing his university education he was appointed parochial teacher at Cromarty, where he remained some years after obtaining license to preach from the presbytery of Chanonry on 21 June 1768. His strictness and severity as a disciplinarian earned for him the name of the ‘hard dominie,’ and, according to Hugh Miller, many of his pupils continued to regard him with ‘dread and hatred’ long after they had become men and women. Hugh Miller relates that a lady, who had experienced his tender mercies in childhood, was so overcome by the sudden appearance of him in a southern pulpit that she fainted away (Scenes and Legends of the North of Scotland, p. 411). As a preacher he
