to cultivate during the rest of his life, by the reading of Homer and the Greek Testament; but the Latin classics, and the philosophy of ancient Rome, were the favourite objects of his study.

"Having been originally destined for the clerical office, on the completion of the prescribed course of study at the University, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Linlith

gow.

"By the early decease of his father, the management of the small property to which he succeeded devolved upon him; and not having any immediate view to preferment in the Church, he turned his attention, in a great degree, to the improvement of his paternal estate. His natural sagacity, and superior education, soon led him to perceive that the state of agriculture in his native parish was capable of great improvement; and he lost no time in making himself acquainted with the best modes of draining and enclosing, and the other farming operations, which of late years have added so much to the wealth and resources of the country. At this period, he often guided the plough, worked with his own hand in the labours of agriculture, and devoted himself with great enthusiasm to the cultivation of this primitive science and at a later period of life, it was his constant maxim, that to make two blades of grass, or corn, spring up, where one only had formerly grown, was conferring a solid benefit on the community.

"The success of his farming operations soon induced his neighbours, in defiance of their peculiar prejudices, to adopt his improvements, and attracted also the attention of the great landholders of the county. At this time, and in the midst of these occupations, he was the friend and patron of merit, so far as his limited opportunities permitted, and was looked up to as a sound adviser, in those cases of difficulty or distress which occurred among the poor around him, or within the sphere of his influence. He was also frequently referred to as an arbiter in the disputes which occurred among his neighbours, in their domestic as well as their agricultural concerns; and from the solid judgment and benevolence of his character, with his knowledge of rural affairs, he

was well qualified for the discharge of this duty.

"Ten or twelve years of Mr. Fleming's life were passed in this obscure, though useful manner; and this interval afforded him, also, that leisure for reading and reflection, which were afterwards so conspicuous in the acquirements of his mind. Now, however, a new occupation opened to him, which promised more lucrative employment than that of the mere cultivator of his paternal acres. About the year 1786, he became factor for Neil, Earl of Roseberry, and his residence was transferred to that nobleman's estate of Barnbougle, near Queensferry. There he spent some years, and had the opportunity, under his Lordship's tuition, of acquiring much knowledge of the world and of actual business, being employed alternately as farmer, merchant, accountant or lawyer, as the case required. This trust he executed with great judgment and fidelity, and in the course of it, he had many opportunities of bringing forward deserving men as farmers or overseers, greatly to the benefit both of the proprietors and the country.

"His situation in life was now, however, to be more permanently fixed; for in the year 1789 he was presented by the Earl of Roseberry to the Church of Primrose, or Cairnton, in the Presbytery of Dalkeith, situated about ten miles south of Edinburgh, where he officiated as pastor for a period of fifteen years.

"In the discharge of his ministerial duties, Mr. Fleming was distinguished by exemplary diligence; and his interest for the welfare of his parishioners was not exclusively confined to their spiritual concerns, but extended also to their worldly comfort and prosperity. In this respect the Scottish Clergy are pre-eminent, and cannot be too much commended. They have the advantage of holding a rank highly respectable in the society of which they are members, with the rare addition of not being too far removed from the middle and lower ranks, to prevent their being useful to both, by their advice or assistance, in the common affairs of life. Mr. Fleming, therefore, did not hesitate to apply his extensive knowledge to the discharge of every duty which he

believed came within the compass of his pastoral office. In this view of his duty, as a minister, much of his time was occupied in providing for the comforts and necessities of his parishioners; in difficulty, he afforded them advice,-in distress, comfort, in want, pecuniary assistance; nor did he think it unsuitable to his character, to point out to the unskilful and improvident the best modes of improving and enjoying the earnings of their industry.

"His sermons, for several years after his settlement at Primrose, were written and composed with much care, and display great vigour of mind and powers of illustration, which, under favourable circumstances, might have been polished to excellence. But being destined to instruct plain people in a country parish, he soon perceived that such sermons were not fitted to produce their full effect upon his audience. His ambition was to be useful rather than admired, and, therefore, he studied to prepare such discourses as the most illiterate might understand; and, latterly, seldom wrote them out. He did not, at any time, make a practice of reading his sermons in the pulpit, which, indeed, his extreme shortness of sight would have rendered very inconvenient; he thought a short outline better for his purpose; and having adjusted the heads, he preached from careful meditation, making the simplicity of the gospel his model. Conscious of the sanctity of the message which he delivered, he studiously avoided every thing mean or colloquial by which it might be degraded. His delivery was not remarkable for grace or elegance, but there was in every sermon so much sound sense and genuine piety, that they never failed to command attention; and some were highly valued for their just observation and reasoning; particularly one on this text, Seek, that ye may excel to the edifying of the church,' which he preached at the induction of Mr. Kelloch, of Crichton, and which, when delivered on other occasions, was

greatly admired. Among the English divines, he particularly admired the

1 Cor. xiv. 12.

writings of Barrow, Tillotson and Hoadley; among our own, those of Charters had much of his esteem; and, as philosophical divines, Butler and Price were his favourites. As an author, he was extremely fastidious, being well aware that no published work can succeed unless of the first excellence. The only composition of his, to which publicity has been given, is the Account of the Parish of Cairnton, printed in the Statistical Account of Scotland, and often quoted with approbation, for its enlightened and solid remarks.*

"No one entertained a higher value, or a more ardent love, for civil and religious liberty, than Mr. Fleming. He mentioned to soine of his intimate friends, that he felt this disposition strongly from his earliest recollection; and he believed that it was cherished, in a great degree, from hearing, in his infancy, that his great-grandfather had suffered death as a Covenanter, under the arbitrary reign of the Stuarts.+ This feeling increased with his years, and inspired him with a hatred of arbitrary power, which he never failed to reprobate, on every occasion where he saw the slightest desire to stretch the law, at the expense of justice or humanity.

"While Mr. Fleming resided at Primrose, that remarkable event, the French Revolution, was too intimately connected with the principles which he had imbibed, not to excite in him the deepest interest; and when, by the Constitution which the King accepted in 1789, the French nation seemed likely to enjoy a portion of rational liberty, he heartily rejoiced in it; but was indeed mortified that they had not wisdom to retain that constitution, and shocked at the excesses committed by the anarchists during the

"Ou Preparation for Death: a Sermon preached at Colinton on the 2d February, being the first Sabbath after the interment of the Rev. John Fleming, late Minister of that parish; with a short Me. Minister of Corstorphine. Edinburgh. moir of the deceased. By D. Scot, M. D., 1823."

"While in health, Mr. Fleming used to give an annual dinner to his most intimate friends, in honour of his ancestor."

About 1793, when political feeling was at his height, and Muir, Margarot and others, were transported for the crime of sedition, under sentences of the High Court of Justiciary, Mr. Fleming's friends were not, for some time, without anxiety on his account, though he had certainly never attended any of the societies or meetings which were held at that period; but as the free expression of liberal opinions could not be characterized as criminal, he was never on that account made the object of any hostile measure.

"Mr. Fleming was, in 1804, translated to the parish of Colinton, within four miles of Edinburgh, on the unsolicited presentation of the Earl of Lauderdale, the patron. This arrangement appears to have been communicated by his Lordship to Mr. Fleming, through the medium of a mutual friend, previous to the death of Dr. Walker, the then incumbent. A copy of Mr. Fleming's letter to the Noble Earl on this occasion, has been preserved, and its insertion here may not be deemed unsuitable.

"Primrose, Dec. 20, 1802.

"MY LORD,

"Our very excellent friend, Mr. Gibson, has sent me your Lordship's letter to him, dated 26th of last month. The quaintness of compliment is suited

to the character and intercourse of only vain and frivolous men. For this reason, the parade of verbal gratitude shall, on the present occasion, be forborne. It is, however, a fact too obvious to escape notice, that the unsolicited and spontapleased to make me, furnishes a proof neous offer which your Lordship has been that there remains, even among the Peers of Scotland, one whose liberal and disinterested mind considers an uniform adherence to those principles and measures which are favourable to the liberty and happiness of mankind, though unsupported by any other claim, as deserving patronage and encouragement. Permit me to assure your Lordship of another fact, that the satisfaction of mind arising from reflection on my conduct, and which nience which the temper of the times has greatly overbalanced every inconveby this testimony of your Lordship's apmay have occasioned, has been heightened probation, and that it is one of the few things by which this effect could have been produced.

"Whether your Lordship's generous intention shall ever be realized, like every future event, depends upon contingencies, many of which are beyond the reach of human foresight or controul. But whatever may be the event, I trust the kindness and generosity of your Lordship's intention shall always be sufficient to keep in my mind a just sense of the obligation, and lead to an independence and propriety of conduct which will shew that your Lordship's favour has not been entirely misplaced.'"

"Mr. Fleining had previously to this been offered two other livings in the Church, which he did not accept. We have reason to believe, that at first he was not very cordially received by his parishioners at Colinton; but the real worth of his character was soon discovered, and during the remainder of his life, he enjoyed their full regard and esteem. He thought that he could never serve God better than when doing good to men, and continued to make himself useful to his parishioners as a friend and adviser in their secular affairs, as well as in religion and morality. Being a scholar by education and taste, and a man of business by habit, he was a fit companion for men in all ranks of life; and from the natural frankness of his disposition, his society continued to be much courted. He was often consulted by gentlemen for his opinion on the value of land, and was

frequently taken to distant parts of the country for this purpose, without, however, neglecting the duties of his charge. He was particularly strict in keeping up public worship in his church, and was seldom absent on the Sabbath. The keenness and intemperate zeal about trifles which often appeared in ecclesiastical courts, induced him, in a great measure, to absent himself; for it was his settled opinion, that the ministers of religion, by servility to the rich and great, and by making themselves the tools of political faction, degrade their office and their characters in the estimation of their flocks, and consequently diminish the extent of their own usefulness.

"In his new charge at Colinton, Mr. Fleming continued to indulge his taste for elegant literature; and while in vigorous health, he often devoted eight or nine hours in the day to study. His desire of knowledge was insatiable, and his reading unwearied to the last. He understood Latin and French remarkably well; and some of the best authors in these languages, as well as the classical writers of our own, were the constant companions of his leisure hours. In French literature, Vertot, Fenelon, Le Sage, Rochefoucauld, (whose moral maxims he constantly perused,) Raynal and Say, were his favourite writers; Cicero, Sallust, Horace, Lucan, and particularly Juvenal, the greatest part of whose Satires he had completely by heart, among the Latins. In our own literature, he put a high value on the works of Adam Smith and Samuel Johnson; and Shakespeare, Addison, Pope, Crabbe and Campbell, were his frequent companions.

"In the beginning of the year 1818, he suffered by a stroke of the palsy, which very much debilitated him, and was, indeed, the cause of his death; for although he lived nearly five years afterwards, he never recovered complete health, either of body or mind. In this condition, he once attempted to address the congregation at the time of the Sacrament, but was unable to proceed; he continued, however, to perform the offices of marriage and baptism until about a year before his death, when he found it necessary to desist, even from the exertion required on these occasions. But his mind was

still sufficiently collected to be much affected by finding that he was now altogether useless in the discharge of his ministerial duties; to the last, however, it remained perfectly sound, although his power of expression by words became gradually less: but the same benevolence of disposition which characterised him in health, never deserted him, as was manifest to his friends, by his appearance when he could no longer articulate. He died of pure exhaustion, with hardly any struggle, on the 23rd of January, 1823, in the seventy-third year of his age, and was by his own desire, buried in the family sepulchre at Bathgate.

"Mr. Fleming indicated strongly, by his appearance, the ideas which attach to his character; he was indifferent about dress, excepting as to cleanliness, and used no more of the clerical habit than a black coat on Sunday, and the Geneva band when in the pulpit. Yet, notwithstanding the plainness, and even occasional negligence of his dress, his appearance and personal manners were free from vulgarity, and always bespoke the man of education and refinement of mind. Simplex munditiis was his motto, and extended from his person to the frugality of his domestic arrangements.

But however frugal he might be in his own pecuniary disbursements, he was nobly generous on proper occasions, and by his judicious economy, was enabled to give more assistance to others, by lending money, sometimes to his great loss, than any other man in the same rank of life. He attached much importance to the science of political economy, not from any selfish or party motive, but from a pure and honest regard to the interests of his fellow-men. He was well versed in this science, and considered the study of it of so much importance to mankind, that he made an eventual bequest of a considerable part of his fortune, to establish professorships for teaching it, in the Colleges of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The education of youth was also a favourite object with him, and he left a legacy for keeping a certain number of free-scholars in the parochial-school of Colinton; bequeathing, also, to the parish-library the remainder of his valuable collection of books,