ROBERTSON. 495 of a comedy: Mr. Ponsonby therefore declined a l l facun diary emulation. He lived i n the hospitable and splendid stile which his fortune afforded, a s a country gentleman. On a l l important occasions h e attended his parliamentary duty; seldom spoke much, but always with good sense, sound principle, and gentlemanly moderation. He was one o f the staunchest opponents o f the Beresford influ ence; strenuously resisted the Union; and was afterwards dignified with a British peerage, during the Fox and Grenville administration, b y the Irish title o f Imokilly. He died a year o r two before his brother, and his remains were deposited without pomp a t Kensington, near London. WILLIAM ROBERTSON, A learned divine, was born i n Dublin, o n October 1 6 , 1705, and received the first rudiments o f his education under the celebrated Dr. Francis Hutcheson. He entered the university o f Glasgow i n 1722, where h e remained until 1725, and took the degree o f M. A.; but engaging actively i n a dispute between the students and their supe riors, h e was expelled the college, though h e was speedily reinstated i n his former situation. He was ordained i n 1727; and, i n 1739, was appointed chaplain t o Lord Cathcart. I n 1728, h e married Elizabeth, daughter o f Major Baxter, b y whom h e had twenty-one children. I n 1743, h e was appointed curate o f St. Luke's parish, Dublin, where, with the assistance o f Mr. Kane Percival, then curate o f St. Michan's, he formed a scheme t o raise a fund for the support o f widows and children o f clergy men o f the diocese o f Dublin; which has since produced very happy effects. I n 1758, h e lost his wife. I n 1759, h e was offered a benefice, but was prevented from accept ing i t from conscientious motives. I n 1767, h e was created D . D . b y the university o f Glasgow. I n 1768, the mastership o f the free-grammar school a t Wolver hampton, i n Staffordshire, becoming vacant, the company o f Merchant-Tailors, the patrons, unanimously conferred
