LIFE

OF THE

REV. THOMAS SCOTT.

CHAPTER I.

INCLUDING THE FIRST SIXTEEN YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

THE public are already apprised, that my honored father. left behind him a written memoir of his own life, brought down to the year 1812. The first sentence of this manuscript will explain, at once, his reason for so doing and the nature of the composition. "As there can be little doubt," he says, "that, after my decease, something in the way of memoir, or narrative, will be published concerning me, to prevent misinformation, and to supply a few authentic materials, I purpose, in the following sheets, to state such facts as seem of sufficient importance, leaving it, in general, to others to make their observations upon them.'

Hence it would seem, that not so much to write for the public eye, as to furnish" authentic materials" to those who might be induced to do so, was the object which he proposed to himself. Accordingly I confess, that, on my first inspection of the narrative, it appeared to me, though in all parts gratifying to the writer's immediate friends, yet in many instances more minute and familiar than might be suitable for a work, to be submitted to the world at large. But on more deliberately considering the subject, and reflecting on what the public have, in other instances, not only tolerated, but approved, I have so far altered my judgment, as to determine to keep back very little indeed of what my father has written; and, in committing it to the

press, to subject it only to that verbal, or otherwise slight correction, which an unrevised composition naturally requires.

It further appears, from the sentence which has been recited, that, contenting himself with recording leading facts, the writer left it to others to make the proper reflections upon them.

On the whole, therefore, in compliance with what would, I hope, have obtained his own sanction, and what, I feel some confidence, will meet the wishes of the religious public, I shall give the bulk of my father's manuscript in his own words; interweave with it pretty copious selections from his correspondence, illustrative of its contents; offer such reflections as the several occasions may seem to demand; and, after we shall have lost the help of that original document, detail the history of the remaining period of his life, as much upon the same plan as the means in my power shall enable me to do. I would endeavor every where to keep in view the great object for which he lived, and to which, on his dying bed, more entirely, if possible, than before, he approved of having devoted his life; and would humbly desire, that the present work may still conduce to the same design:-that here, as well as in the writings more exclusively his own, he may "yet speak" to the glory of God, and to the highest good of mankind.

My father thus records the time and place of his birth. "I was born on the fourth of February, 1746-7, answering, since the change of the style, and the beginning of another century, to February 16, 1747. A small farm-house at Braytoft in Lincolnshire, was the place of my birth. Braytoft is five miles from Spilsby, and about six from Skegness, where a well-known bathing place has since been built; but where, in my remembrance, only one solitary public house existed, on the sea-shore.

"My father, John Scott, was a grazier, a man of a small and feeble body, but of uncommon energy of mind, and vigor of intellect; by which he surmounted, in no common degree, the almost total want of education. His circumstances were very narrow, and for many years he struggled with urgent difficulties. But he rose above them; and, though never affluent, his credit was supported, and he lived in more comfortable circumstances to the age of seventy-six years. He had thirteen children, ten of whom lived to ma

turity: and my eldest brother was twenty-three years older than my youngest sister.

"Concerning my father's family and ancestors, I know scarcely any thing. My mother's maiden name was Wayet, and she was descended of a family well known and respected, for a long time back, at Boston. From her method of ruling and teaching her large family, when very young, I derived many of my best maxims concerning the education of my own children.

"Having, principally by her, been taught to read fluently, and to spell accurately, I learned the first elements of Latin at Burgh, two miles off, at a school to which, for a while, I went as a day-scholar. But at eight years of age I was sent to Bennington, a village about four miles north of Boston, where my father had a grazing farm (on which my elder brother and sister resided, with my father's sister,) that I might attend a school in the parish, kept by a clergyman. Here I continued about two years; and, in addition to writing, and the first rudiments of arithmetic, I learned a little Latin at my master's desire, who thought he saw in me a turn for that kind of learning. He had, as I recollect, no other Latin scholar.-Exclusive of some instances of my early proficiency in several kinds of vice, and the severe corrections to which this exposed me, I remember little of these two years, except a preservation from drowning, in a situation into which I had rushed in defiance of warning. My escape was considered as wonderful, for none of the spectators was able to give me any aid.

"Towards the close of these years my eldest brother died on board a man of war, I think at Portsmouth. My father, amidst his difficulties, greatly desired to have a son educated for one of the learned professions; and his eldest son, shewing a talent for learning, was sent to school, at Scorton, in Yorkshire, (of which place more will be spoken hereafter,) and, when he had acquired a competent stock of Latin and Greek, was bound apprentice to a surgeon and apothecary at Burgh. His master dying during the term of his apprenticeship, left him his indentures, and, I believe, a small legacy. He then went to Lynn, in Norfolk, where he enjoyed far greater advantages for acquiring profes sional knowledge; and, having attended the hospitals in London for some time, he was induced, on the breaking out of war with France, to enter the navy as surgeon's mate, determined to push his fortune in that line. His advance

from the lowest rank to that next to a surgeon, to which, if he had lived, he would certainly have been very soon promoted, was rapid; and the most sanguine expectations were formed. But a vessel of war arriving from abroad, with a malignant disease among the crew, he, being, as it always appeared, a stranger to fear, and enthusiastically eager in the pursuit of professional knowledge, requested to be one of those who were sent on board of her. There he soon caught the disease, which terminated at once his prospects and his life, when he was about twenty-four years of age.

"My father felt this event as, in every way, a most heavy affliction. He determined, however, if possible, to have a son in the medical profession; and, as I was thought of the proper age, and seemed capable of readily learning Latin, I was selected. From this time my attention was almost entirely directed to that language; and, at different places, I got a superficial knowledge of several books generally read at schools: which gave the appearance of far greater proficiency than I had actually made.

"At ten years of age I was sent to Scorton, where my brother had been before me; and there I remained five years, without returning home, or seeing any relation or acquaintance.-Scorton is a hamlet of the parish of Bolton, where the celebrated Henry Jenkins, who lived one hundred and sixty-nine years, lies buried and there is a monumental inscription for him in the parish church. This was one hundred and forty miles from Braytoft; five miles from Richmond, and two from Catterick, in Yorkshire; the river Swale running between. There were then several turnpike roads in the neighborhood, and one through the village, but I do not remember that I ever saw or heard of a stage coach! The whole expence of boarding and clothing amounted to 141. a year; two guineas were paid for teaching, books being found; there were some extra-charges for writing, arithmetic, and French; and some expences for medical assistance: but I have often heard my father mention, that I cost him 177. a year, for five years. I think he must have underrated the sum, but I am fully satisfied that 100l. more than covered all the charges of the five years; and this was all the cost of my education. Yet I wanted for nothing. I had plenty of wholesome food, and, though my clothing was rather coarse, I was as tenderly taken care of when sick, (which was frequently the case,) by the widow, who kept the boarding house, and her daughter, as I could

have been at home.-The effect, however, of such long separations from parents, brothers, and sisters, and other near relations, is far from favorable to the forming of the moral and social character, in future life.

"The school at Scorton is, I believe, well endowed: and it was at that time of considerable note. During the whole of my continuance there, there were above eighty scholars; several from remote places; and a few of superior station in society, whose names I have since met with as occupying rather conspicuous situations. The Rev. John Noble was head-master. He had been, in his day, indisputably an able teacher of the learned languages: but at this time he was old and lethargic; and, though still assiduous, was most grossly imposed upon by the boys, and by no one more than myself.

"When I arrived at Scorton, I was asked what Latin books I had read; and my answer induced the usher to overrate my proficiency, and to place me in a class much beyond my superficial attainments. This, however, stimulated me to close application; and it was not very long before I overtook my class-mates, and with ease accompanied them. Had I then been again pushed forward, I might have been ex-、 cited to persevering diligence: but, as I could appear with tolerable credit without much application; partly by actual proficiency, and partly by imposing on Mr. Noble, under whose care I now came; my love of play, and my scarcity of money for self-indulgent expences, induced me to divide a great proportion of my time between diversion and helping other boys in their exercises, for a very scanty remuneration, which I lost in gaming, or squandered in gratifying my appetite. Still, however, I made considerable progress, and should have been at the head of the school, had I continued in it another year. But one thing is remarkable, considering what has since taken place, that, while I could translate Latin into English, or English into Latin, perhaps more readily and correctly than any other boy in the school, I never could compose themes. I absolutely seemed to. have no ideas, when set to work of this kind, either then or for some years afterwards; and was even greatly at a loss to write a common letter.-As for verses, I never wrote any except nonsense-verses, of one kind or other; which has perhaps been the case also of many more prolific versifiers. God had not made me a poet, and I am very thankful that I never attempted to make myself one."