THE LIFE

OF

SIR JOHN MOORE.

CHAPTER I.

BIRTH AND EDUCATION.

SIR JOHN MOORE was born at Glasgow on the 13th of November, 1761, and, in consequence of the death of two other sons in early life, became the eldest. Their father, Dr. Moore, a physician and moral writer, was the only son of the Reverend Charles Moore, minister of Stirling; whose father was an officer who served in the wars of King William III.: and the family by tradition was considered to be a younger branch of the Moores, or Mures, of Ruellan, which lineage, however, cannot be traced. Doctor Moore's mother was the eldest daughter of John Anderson, Laird of Dovehill, and of Marian Hay. This lady, entitled, ac

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cording to the usage of that time, the Lady Dovehill, was a reputed descendant of the Earls of Kinnoul. The Andersons of Dovehill are an ancient race, whose estate has been sold, reserving the feudal superiorities, which descended to Sir John Moore, and since to his brother. The doctor married a daughter of Professor Simson of the university of Glasgow, who was niece of Robert Simson the celebrated geometrician.

John Moore, who is now to be considered, was entered at the high school of Glasgow; and Thomas Monro, afterwards so distinguished in India, was one of his schoolfellows. In his boyish days he was fiery and untractable, which faults were gradually suppressed by paternal reproofs, and by his own masculine understanding; so that he acquired a complete command of temper, and a mild disposition. His figure was tall, and graceful, his features were regular, his eyes hazel, hair brown, and the expression of his countenance cheerful and benign. In the year 1772, Dr. Moore was engaged to take charge of Douglas,

Duke of Hamilton, during a tour and residence on the Continent of Europe; and John, at eleven years of age, was taken with them. They had hardly reached Paris, when a mischance occurred, which might have had serious consequences. John, having been left alone, began, with childish curiosity, to examine the locks of a pair of loaded pistols. Being ignorant of their mechanism, he accidentally snapt one of them; the ball pierced through the wainscot, and wounded a maid-servant in the adjoining chamber, who screamed aloud. The doctor, alarmed, ran in, but found his son safe, and the servant's hurt very slight. John was deeply affected at having so nearly killed this poor girl; and his father observed, that he was thenceforth less heedless.

Not long after this, the Duke of Hamilton, though five years older, played a similar prank. It was the custom of the times to wear swords, and the duke happened to have on a small hanger. In an idle humour he drew it, and began to amuse himself by fencing at young Moore; and laughed as he forced

him to skip from side to side to shun false thrusts. The duke continued this sport until Moore unluckily started in the line of the sword, and received it in his flank. On feeling himself wounded he exclaimed, 'Ha!' and looked the duke in the face, who, struck with horror, dropt the sword, and rushed out of the room for Dr. Moore. The father on entering saw blood flowing from his son's side: he stript him, and found that the broad blade of the hanger had pierced the skin, and glanced on the outside of the ribs, without penetrating inwardly; the wound was consequently exempt from danger. His agony

being relieved, he calmed the terror of the duke. After this event, a warm friendship between the duke and Moore ensued, which only terminated by death. The wound was scarcely closed, when an incident occurred of a less formidable kind. Dr. Moore took his son to walk in the garden of the Tuileries, and while he was looking at some of the statues, John strayed aside to gaze at some French boys whose dress diverted him.

French children in those days were wont to be equipped in full formal suits, like little gentlemen; their hair was powdered, frizzled, and curled on both sides, and a bag hung behind: whereas Moore's dress was simple, according to the custom in England, so the contrast to each seemed preposterous. The French boys stared, smiled, and chattered to each other, while Moore, not understanding a word of French, could only express his displeasure by gestures. Mutual offence was taken, and the parties proceeded to hostilities; but as French boys know nothing of boxing, they were thrown to the ground one across the other. Dr. Moore, hearing the outcry, hastened to the scene: he raised up the discomfited, and endeavoured to appease their rage. Then he reprimanded his son for his unmannerly rudeness, and led him back to the hotel.

Only a short stay was made at Paris, Dr. Moore being impatient to reach Geneva, a city better adapted for education, and the acquisition of good morals, than Paris. The