to which he answered, that he adhered to the old presbyterian principles
(which all were obliged by the coyenants to maintain) as generally professed by
the church and nation, from the year 1640 to 1660, from which some had
apostatized for a little liberty (they knew not how short) as they themselves had
done for a little honour. Tarbet admitted that these were the presbyterian
principles, and that all presbyterians would own them as well as he, if they had
but the courage. Mr Kenwick was tried, February 8, before the high couit
of justiciary, upon an indictment which charged him with denying the king's
authority, owning the covenants, refusing to pay cess, and maintaining the
lawfulness of defensive arms ; and, upon his confession, was condemned to die
The day fixed for his execution was the 1 Ith, but it was postponed to the 17th,
in the hope that he would gratify the court by petitioning for a pardon, which,
it has never been doubted, would have been gladly extended to him. With
the constancy which had marked his whole life, he refused to do so, and was
accordingly executed, being the last person who suffered a judicial death for
religion's sake in Scotland.
RICHARDSON, William, an elegant miscellaneous writer, and professor of humanity in the university of Glasgow, was born, October 1, 1743, at Aberfoyle, of which parish his father, James Richardson, was minister. After a course of Latin and Greek under the parish schoolmaster, he was placed in his fourteenth year at the university of Glasgow, where he pursued his studies under professors Muirhead and Moor, and distinguished himself by his extraordinary diligence and capacity. Even at this early period of his life, he was noted for the composition of verses, which, if not of any high positive merit, were at least thought to display an uncommon degree of taste for so boyish a writer. He thus recommended himself to the friendship of the professors, and at the same time formed an intimacy with Messrs Foulis, the eminent printers, whose notice he is said to have first attracted by the eagerness with which he bade, at one of their sales, for a copy of Marcus Antoninus. When he had finished the usual course of languages and philosophy, and had taken the degree of master of arts, he began the study of theology, with the intention of becoming a clergyman. He had attended nearly three sessions, when the design was hi I aside, in consequence of his being appointed tutor to the late Lord Cathcart and his brother, then about to go to Eton. At the latter place he spent two years, after which he accompanied his pupils, with their father Lord Cathcart, to St Petersburg, whither his lordship was sent as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. He remained in the Russian capital from 1768 till 1772, during which time he acted also as secretary to Lord Cathcart. In the latter year, he returned with his only surviving pupil to the university of Glasgow, and before the commencement of the ensuing session, by the interest of Lord Cathcart, who was Lord Rector of the college, was chosen to succeed professor Muirhead in the chair of humanity, the duties of which he performed without any intermission till his death in 1814.
The remaining history of Mr Richardson is the history of his works. His first publication was a small volume, entitled, "Poems, chiefly rural," which appeared in 1774; the next was his "Philosophical Analysis and Illustration of some of Shakspeare's Remarkable Characters," which appeared early in the succeeding year. The latter volume, containing analyses of the characters of Macbeth, Hamlet, Jacques, and Imogen, was followed up, in 1784, by a sequel, containing Essays on the characters of Richard III., King Lear, and Timon of Athens; and some time after by a third volume, adverting to Sir John Falstaff, and containing various other critical speculations upon the writings of Shakspeare. The whole were united in one volume in 1797, and
