Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 7.djvu/253

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ALEXANDER FRASER TYTLER.
389


person, and continued to do so, attending himself on every trial, so long as he held the appointment. He also drew up, while acting as judge-advocate, a treatise on Martial Law, which has been found of great utility. Of the zeal with which Mr Tytler discharged the duties of his office, and of the anxiety and impartiality with which he watched over and directed the course of justice, a remarkable instance is afforded in the case of a court-martial, which was held at Ayr. Mr Tytler thought the sentence of that court unjust; and under this impression, which was well founded, immediately represented the matter to Sir Charles Morgan, judge-advocate general of England, and prayed for a reversion of the sentence. Sir Charles cordially concurred in opinion wifch Mr Tytler regarding the decision of the court-martial, and immediately procured the desired reversion. In the fulness of his feelings, the feelings of a generous and upright mind, Mr Tytler recorded his satisfaction with the event, on the back of the letter which announced it

In the year 1792, Mr Tytler lost his father, and by his death succeeded to the estate of Woodhouselee, and shortly after Mrs Tytler succeeded in a similar manner to the estate of Balmain in Inverness-shire. On taking possession of Woodhouselee, Mr Tytler designed, and erected a little monument to the memory of his father, on which was an appropriate Latin inscription, in a part of the grounds which his parents had delighted to frequent.

This tribute of filial affection paid, Mr Tytler, now in possession of affluence, and every other blessing on which human felicity depends, began to realize certain projects for the improvement and embellishment of his estate, which he had long fondly entertained, and thinking with Pope that "to enjoy, is to obey," he prepared to make the proper use of the wealth which had been apportioned to him. This was in opening up sources of rational and innocent enjoyment for himself, and in promoting the happiness and comfort of those around him. From this period he resided constantly at Woodhouselee, the mansion-house of which he enlarged in order that he might enlarge the bounds of his hospitality. The felicity, however, which he now enjoyed, and for which, perhaps, no man was ever more sincerely or piously grateful, was destined soon to meet with a serious interruption. In three years after his accession to his paternal estate, viz. in 1795, Mr Tytler was seized with a dangerous and long protracted fever, accompanied by delirium. The skill and assiduity of his friend Dr Gregory, averted any fatal consequences from the fever, but during the paroxysms of the disease he had burst a blood vessel, an accident which rendered his entire recovery at first doubtful, and afterwards ex* ceedingly tardy. During the hours of convalescence which succeeded his illness on this occasion, Mr Tytler employed himself in improving, and adapting to the advanced state of knowledge, Derham's Physico-Theology, a work which he had always held in high estimation. To this new edition of Derham's work, which he published in 1799, he prefixed a "Dissertation on Final Causes." In the same year Mr Tytler wrote a pamphlet entitled, "Ireland profiting by Example, or the Question considered, Whether Scotland has gained or lost by the Union." He was induced to this undertaking by the circumstance of the question having been then furiously agitated, whether any benefit had arisen, or was likely to arise from the Union with Ireland. Of Mr Tytler's pamphlet the interest was so great that no less than 3000 copies were sold on the day of publication.

The well earned reputation of Mr Tytler still kept him in the public eye, and in the way of preferment. In 1801, a vacancy having occurred in the bench of the court of Session by the death of lord Stonefield, the subject of this memoir was appointed, through the influence of lord Melville, to succeed him,