Volume 2

A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen / edited by Robert Chambers.

Date:
1854-1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen / edited by Robert Chambers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    lire directly opposite to tliosc of all other nations. A Portuguese gentleman, showing out a friend, walks before him to the door; a Portuguese boatman rows with his face to the fi-ont of the vessel, and lands stern foremost; when a man and woman ride on horseback, the woman is foremost, and sits with her face to the right side of the animal. And what, in Bruce’s opinion, accounted for all this conti-ariety, the children are rocked in cradles w'hich move from head to foot. From Poi’tugal, after four month’s stay, Bruce travelled into Spain, where he also spent a considerable time. The sight of the remains of Moorish gran- deur here inspired him with the wish of writing an account of the domination of that people in Spain; but he found the materials inaccessible through the jealousy of Uie government. Leaving Spain, he traversed P'rance, visited Brus- sels, and, passing through Holland into (iermany, there witnessed the battle of Crevelt. Returning by Rotterdam, he received intelligence of the death of his father, by which event he became laird of Kinnaird. The property he thus acquired w.ts soon after considerably increased by the establishment of the Car- ron company, which ivas supplied with coal from his mines. He now employed himself in studying the Arabic language, a branch of knowledge then little regarded in Britain. In 1761, he withdrew entirely from the wine trade. About this time, Bruce fonned an acquaintance with Mr Pitt, (the elder,) then at the head of affaii-s, to whom he proposed a scheme for making a descent upon Spain, against Avhich country Britain was expected to declare war. Though this project came to nothing. Lord Halifax had marked the enterprising genius of this Scottish gentleman, and proposed to him to signalise the conunencement of the new reign by making discoveries in Africa. It was not part of this pro- posal that he should attempt to reach the source of the Nile ; that prodigious exploit, which had baffled the genius of the civilised world for thousands of years, seemed to Lord Plalifax to be reserved for some more experienced person ; his lordship now only spoke of discoveries on the coast of Barbary, which had then been surveyed, and that imperfectly, by only one British traveller. Dr Shaw. For this end, Bruce was appointed to be consul at Algiers. In an interview with George III., with which he was honoured before setting out, his Majesty requested him to take drawings of the ruins of ancient architecture which ho should discover in the course of his travels. It having been provided that he should spend some time by the way in Italy, he set out for that country in Juno 1762. He visited Rome, Naples, and Florence, and fitted himself by surveying the works of ancient art, for the observations he was' to make upon kindred objects in Africa. Here he formed an acquaintance with a native of Bologna, name Luigi Balugani, whom he engaged to attend him in his travels, in the capacity of an artist. He at length sailed from Leghorn to Algiers, which he reached in IMarch 1763. Ali Pacha, who then acted as Dey in this barbarous slate, was a savage character, not unlike the celebrated personage of the same name, whom Lord Byron introduced to European notice. An injudicious yield- ing to his will, on the part of the English government, who changed a consul at his request, had just given an additional shade of insolence and temerity to his character; and he expected to tyrannise over Bruce as over one of his own officers. The intrepidity of the new consul, it may be imagined, was, under such circumstances, called into frequent action. He several times bearded tliis lion in his very den, always apparently indebted for his safety to the very auda- city which might have been expected to provoke his ruin. A good idea of the true British fortitude which he exerted under such circumstances, may be gained from a letter to Lord Halifax, in which, after recommending forcible measures, which would have been highly dangerous to his own personal security, he says, —“ I myself have received from a friend some private intimations to consult my I. 2 r