CHARACTER OT THE LATE PRINCIPAL CAMPBELL. From a Sermon, preached in the Weft Church, Aberdeen, April 17th, 1796, on Occafion of his Death. THE By William Laurence Brown, D. D. Principal of Marifchal College. HE character, to which I regret my inability to do juftice, was chiefly admirable as a public teacher; as the head of a public feminary of learning; as a writer; as a private Chriftian. As a public teacher, you yourfelves can bear teftimony to his fupe rior excellence. You long enjoyed the benefit of his inftructions; you long admired his clearness and copi oufnefs in illuftrating the great doc. trines and precepts of Religion, and the ftrength and energy with which he enforced them. Intimately perfuaded of the truth and infinite confequence of what Revelation teaches, he was ftrongly defirous of carrying the fame conviction to the minds of his hearers, and delivered his discourses with that zeal which flows from ftrong impreffions, and that power of perfuafion, which is the refult of fincerity of heart combined with clear nels of understanding. He was fatis fied, that, the more the pure dictates of the Gospel were ftudied, the more they would approve themselves to the mind, and bring forth, in the affee tions and conduct, all the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs. The unadultered dictates of Christianity he was, therefore, only ftudious to recommend and inculcate, and knew perfectly to difcriminate them from the inventions and traditions of men. His chief study ever was to direct belief to the great obj &s of practice; and, with out thefe, he viewed the molt orthodox profeflion as a founding brass, and a tinkling cymbal. But, belide the character of a Preacher of Righteoufnefs, he had alfo that of a teacher of the fcience of Divinity to sustain. How admir ably he difcharged this duty, and with what effect he conveyed the foundest and most profitable inftruction to the minds of his scholars, let. thofe declare who are now, in various congregations of this country, commuricating to their fellow Chriftians the fruits of their ftudies under fo able and judicious a teacher. In this light, the vaft importance of fuch an office will be directly perceived. The effects of the religious knowledge delivered are not confined to those who immediately receive it, but, by their channel, tranfmitted to immense numbers of their brethren, whom they are to inftruct in their turn. The opinions and practice of a whole conntry may thus be affected by the talents and temper of a Profeffor of Divinity. But, happily for this Northern part of the kingdom, the theological chairs of this and of the neighbouring Univerfity were long filled by two men* of the most distinguished abilities, and most liberal and moderate difpofitions. I add this last claufe, as completing all that is excellent in religious character, because the apostle Paul himself particularly inculcates it on Chriftians, as the ftrongest proof of confidence in the truth and promises of the Gofpel. Let your moderation, fays he, be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. My venerable Predeceffor in particular, difcarding all attachment to human fyftems, merely confidered as fuch, tied his faith to the Word of God alone, pofleffed the happiest talent in investigating its meaning, and communicated to his hearers the refult of his own enquiries with a precifion. and perfpicuity which brought light out of obfcurity, and rendered clear * Dr. Gerard, and Dr. Campbell of King's College. † Philip. iv. 5. and and fimple what appeared intricate and perplexed. He expofed without referve the corruptions which ignorance, craft, and hypocrify, had introduced into Religion, and applied his talent for ridicule to the best of all purposes, to hold up to contempt the abfurdities with which the pureft and fublimet truths had been loaded. Placed at the head of a public se minary of learning, he felt all the importance of fuch a fituation, and uniformly directed his influence to public utility. His enlarged and enlightened mind justly appreciated the extenfive confequence of the education of youth. He anticipated all the effects refulting to the great community of mankind from numbers of young men iffuing in regular fucceffion from the Univerfity over which he prefided, and occupying the different departments of focial life. His benevolent heart delighted to repreent to itself the ftudents under his direction ufefully and honourably dif. charging the refpective duties of their different profeffions, and fome of them, perhaps, filling the most dif. tinguished ftations of civil fociety. With these profpects before him, he conftantly directed his public conduct to their attainment. He never fuf, fered his judgment to be warped by prejudice or partiality, or his heart to be feduced by paffion or private interest. Those mean and ignoble motives, by which many are actuated in the difcharge of important trufts, approached not his mind. A certain honourable pride, if pride it may be called, diffufed an uniform dignity over the whole of his behaviour. He felt the man degraded by the perver. fion of public character. His underftanding alfo clearly fhewed him even perfonal advantage attached to fuch principles and practice as he adopted from a fenfe of obligation, and thofe elevated conceptions of real worth which were fo congenial to his foul. He faw, he experienced, efteem, re fpect, and influence, following in the train of integrity and beneficence; but contempt, disgrace, averfion, and complete infignificance, clofely linked to corruption and selfishness. Little minds are feduced and overpowered by felfish confiderations, because they have not the capacity to look beyond the prefent advantage, and to extend to the mifery that ftands on the other fide of it. The fame circumstance that betrays the perverfity of their hearts alfo evinces the weakness of their judgements. His reputation as a writer is as extenfive as the prefent intercourse of letters; not confined to his own country, but fpread through every civilized nation. In his literary pursuits he aimed not, as is often the cafe with men of diftinguifhed literary abilities, merely at eftablishing his own celebrity, or increafing his fortune, but had chiefly at heart the defence of the great caufe of Religion, or the elucidation of her dictates. At an early period, he entered the lifts as a champion for Chriftianity against one of its acuteft opponents*. He not only triumphantly refuted his arguments, but even conciliated his refpect by the handfome and dextrous manner in which his defence was conducted. While he refuted the infidel, he fpared the man, and exhibited the uncommon fpectacle of a polemical writer poffeffing all the moderation of a Chriftian. But, while he defended Chriftianityagainst its enemies, he was defirous of contributing his endeavours to increafe, among its profeffors, the knowledge of the facred writings. Accordingly, in the latter part of his life, he favoured the world with a work, the fruit of copious erudition, of unwearied application, and of a clear and comprehenfive judgement. We have only to regret that the other writings of the New Teftament have not been elucidated by the fame pen that tranflated and illuftrated the * Hume. Gospels. Gofpels. In this cafe, we should be poffeffed of a treasure of biblical knowledge unpoffeffed by preceding ages. But the life and labour of man are not adequate to all the utility we could wish. Let us enjoy and be grateful for what we poffefs. Nor were his literary merits confined to theology, and the ftudies more immediately connected with it. Philofophy and the fine arts are alfo indebted to his genius and labours; and, in him, the polite fcholar was eminently joined with the deep and liberal divine. Confider, my brethren, what honour is reflected on your city by fuch fplendid literary talents. Not only the prefent, but fucceeding ages will admire the abilities of this eminent man. When all that wealth, or power, or birth, can beftow, is configned to oblivion; when names, that make a tranfient noife in the world, are heard no more; when towers, and temples, and cities themselves, crum ble into duft; the man, whofe fpirit lives in his writings, who continues to enlighten or delight mankind through fucceeding generations, ftill preferves a terreftrial existence, his name fails down the ftream of time with a majestic courfe, and that name is never mentioned without bringing to mind the place of his nativity, or of his refidence, which thus participates the luftre by which he is encircled! But, from this excursion into future periods, let us return to view this illuftrious character as a private Chriftian. God forbid that I fhould prefume to fet up any mere man as a model of excellence. There is not a juft man who doth good, and finneth not. Imperfection and infirmity cleave to mortal flesh, and can only be caft off when we refign the body. But, furely, it becomes us to venerate and cherish unaffected piety, difinterested benevolence, and predominent felf-command, wherever we behold them, We beheld them in the character Ed. Mag. Jan. 1799. under confideration. To be useful to mankind, appears to have been the ruling paffion in his mind. To indulge it, he fpared no trouble, no labour. While grand objects, efpecially the great concerns of religion, filled his foul, they did not prevent it from entering into the innocent pleasures of focial life; and his converfation was as entertaining as it was inftructive. Though rigidly upright and inflexible in matters of duty, he was the reverfe of auftere and morofe. He placed the effence of Religion, where our Saviour himself hath placed it, in the unfeigned love of God, and of mankind; and actions were, in his opinion, virtuous only as far as they flowed from one or other of these fources, or tended to establish or enlarge thefe principles in the hearts of men. To him it appeared highly detrimental to pure and vital Chriftianity to make it confift wholly in certain external modes of worship, in the maintenance of certain fyftems of fpeculation, or in any of those little peculiarities by which fects and parties are commonly diftinguished. Questions and ftrifes of words, which minifter not to godly edifying, he avoided aud difcouraged, and beftowed his chief ftudy and attention on the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith. Though fcrupulously exact in the obfervance of religious ordinances, he valued them only as fubfervient to the grand purposes of raifing the foul to the habitual contemplation of the divine nature and perfections, of impreffing it with devout and pious fentiments, of purifying its affections, and of improving the conduct of life. When thefe were not the effects which they produced, he confidered them as not only ufelefs, but even as profane. He entertained the greatest refpect for fincerity of religious profeffion, however erroneous he might account it; but hypocrify he viewed with particular averfion. He was equally reC mote mote from bigotry and licentiousness ate to universal benevolence. Firmly in his religious principles, from lukewarmnefs and fanaticifm. Bigotry he regarded as having a fatal tendency to four the temper, and to harden the heart. Laxity of principle he confidered as cutting the finews of Chrif tianity. Lukewarmness was, in his opinion, incompatible with conviction of the truth of Religion; fanaticifm was fubverfive of all its bleffed effects. All pretenfions to fuperior fanctity, whether in conversation or external deportment, he viewed as indications either of a weak judgement or of a defigning heart. His own piety was chiefly manifefted by its influence on his life, and, derived from an heavenly fource, feemed to illumine his converfation with a mild and steady light, which directed and enlivened those who enjoyed his fociety. Political principles will always be much affected by general character: This was alfo the cafe with Dr. Campbell. In politicks he maintained that moderation which is the fureft criterion of truth and rectitude, and was equally diftant from thofe extremes into which men are so apt to run on great political questions. He cherished that patriotifm which confifts in wifhing, and endeavouring to promote, the greateft happiness of his country, and is always fubordin attached to the British Conftitution, he was animated with that genuine love of liberty which it infpires and invigorates. He was equally adverse to defpotifm, and to popular anarchy, the two evils into which political parties are fo frequently hurried, to the deftruction of all that is valuable in government. Party-fpirit, of whatever defcription, he confidered as having an unhappy tendency to pervert, to the moft pernicious purposes, the beft principles of the human mind, and to cloathe the moft iniquitous actions with the moft fpecious appearances. Although tenacious of thofe fentiments, whether in religion or politicks, which he was convinced to be rational and juft, he never fuffered mere difference of opinion to impair his good will, to obftru&t his good offices, or to cloud the chearfulness of converfation. His own converfation was enlivened by a vein of the moft agreeable pleasantry. He poffeffed an uncommon facility of paffing from the graveft to the most airy fubjects, and from the livelieft to the graveft, without degrading the one, or diminishing the pleasure of the other. The infirmities of age abated not the chearfulness of his temper; nor did even the perfuafion of approaching diffolution impair his ferenity. FOR THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. OBSERVATIONS RESPECTING THE CURL IN POTATOES. DISEASES in plants, like thofe but confequently their cures effected of animals, are not only as numerous, but in general are also as difficult to cure. The writings of thofe, however, who have inveftigated the former, have not been diftinguished by any ingenious experiments, or fcientific knowledge which have characterized the inveftigations of the latter, therefore are we not only more ignorant whence they proceed, with greater, difficulty. The diftempers known by the terms curl in potatoes, and fmut in wheat, have been attended with greater lofs, and given more trouble to the farmer, than difeafes incident to any other crop commonly cultivated. But this lofs is not confined to the individual farmer who unfortunately may have fuffered from either of thofe those causes; their effects being more diffused, devolves on every perfon in the community. Hence every attempt to remedy evils fo extenfive in their influences, and fo fatal in their effects, cannot fail of meeting with general approbation. It is to the first of these we mean to confine ourfelves at prefent. To find out the caufe of the curl in potatoes is a purfuit to which we have devoted much attention; and though, hitherto, every attempt has proved abortive, yet it was thought advifeable to publifh the experiments we made, in order that others engaged in the fame undertaking, may fave themfelves the trouble of mak ing fimilar trials. It is not intended to notice the vaft variety of opinions that are held refpecting the cause of the malady in queftion; fome of which are contradictory in themselves, and others having no foundation in fact; this befides would be an endless task, as these opinions are as numerous as the cultivators of this valuable plant; every one flattering himself that he can produce fome caufe to which he attributes the origin of this difeafe. The three following reafons have been chofen for inveftigation, as they perhaps embrace every thing faid upon the fubject: 1. The curl in potatoes is fuppofed to be produced by the feeds or fets having been frofted, either in their dormant ftate, or, when the fhoots were in a confiderable degree of forwardness. 2. From the fets having been chil. led after planting by a long courfe of cold wet weather; to which may be added, though not the primary caufe, yet as manifeftly having a tendency to increase it, 3. By planting fets of the preceding crop in which the curl was obfervable. To afcertain the juftness of the firft opinion, the following experi ment was made, by planting, very early in fpring 1796, fome uncut potatoes, three fourths of each of which were frosted; all of them came up without the leaft appearance of curl, but a few days after they had been above ground, a fevere night's frost cut them off close by the furface, which was exactly what we intended fhould happen by planting them fo early. As the feafon advanced, they again pufhed a number of ftems, all of which were taken away but one, and they were ultimately a great crop. In regard of the fecond opinion, from what immediately follows, it will appear that neither cold nor wet can poffibly operate to produce this disease, otherwise a moderate degree of moisture and heat would effectually prevent it. That it does not, was proved, by planting 40 fets in flower-pots filled with light, rich earth, fuch as has been frequently recommended as moft congenial to the growth of potatoes. Thefe pots were placed in a glass cafe, where the air was regulated by Farenheit's Thermometer, which conftantly ranged from 55 to 60 degrees, taking care to keep the earth in the pots moderately moist. Equally remote from the extremes of heat and cold, it is impoffible to conceive a fituation better adapted to prevent difeafes that were liable to be produced by over-abounding moifture, too much cold, or any other irregularity of climate. The refult was waited for with a degree of anxiety which was only equalled by dif appointment, when it was found, that out of the 40 fets planted, fifteen proved to be curl'd. We have here the moft fubftantial proof that the disease in this cafe muft have been originally in the fets. It is not a little remarkable, that in Stirlingshire, and feveral other counties where the climate is more cold and humid than in the neighbourhood of Edin C 2 burgha |