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BUCHANAN, CLAUDIUS, D. D.
Few persons have engaged with greater zeal, or met with greater success,
in the business of the civilization of India, in spreading the knowledge
of the Christian Religion through the eastern world, and in making
Europeans better acquainted with that interesting country, than the Rev.
Dr. Buchanan, who was born at Cambuslang, on the 12th March, 1766. His
father, Alexander Buchanan, followed the honourable profession of a
school-master; and if we may judge from his success in life, he appears to
have been a man of some abilities, and better qualified than ordinary
teachers for the discharge of the peculiar duties of his office. Before
his death, he was Rector of the Grammar School of Falkirk. His mother's
name was -- Somers, daughter of Mr. Claudius Somers, who was an elder in
the parish of Cambuslang. He is represented as having been one of those
who received their first impressions of religion under the ministry of the
Rev. Mr. M'Culloch, the parish minister, and which were confirmed
afterwards by the celebrated Mr. George Whitfield. A certain class of
Scottish dissenters publicly declared, that all such impressions were a
delusion of the devil, and in the most abusive language reviled Whitfield,
and all who defended his cause. But be this as it may, Mr. Somers and a
good many others became reformed characters; and during the course of a
long life, gave undeniable evidence that they were better moral men and
better members of society.
In 1773, Dr. Buchanan was
sent to Inverary, in the shire of Argyle, where he remained under the care
of his father's relations till 1779. He was early sent to school; and
besides being taught to read English, to write, and cast accounts, he was
initiated into a knowledge of Latin. When only fourteen years of age, he
was engaged to be tutor to the two sons of Campbell of Dunstaffnage.
It is by no means an uncommon case in Scotland for young men to be
employed, at that tender age, as domestic tutors in remote parts of the
country, and at a distance from any school. He continued in this situation
for two years, and then repaired to the university of Glasgow, in 1782.
Here his funds permitted him to remain only for two sessions. In 1784, he
went to the island of Islay, and was tutor in the family of Mr. Campbell
of Knockmelly. In the following year he removed to Carradell, in Kintyre,
as tutor to Mr. Campbell of Carradell. In 1786 he returned to Glasgow
College, with the intention of prosecuting his studies there, preparatory
to his commencing the study of divinity; for it had always been his
intention to be a clergyman of the Church of Scotland. At the end of the
session, however, he was struck with the strange and romantic idea of
making a tour of Europe on foot. He seems to have been highly delighted
with Dr. Goldsmith's poetry, and particularly with his Traveller. Having
perused some accounts of Goldsmith's adventures, he became inspired with a
wish to attempt something of the same kind. He could not, like the poet of
Auburn, play on the flute, but he was a tolerable performer on the fiddle,
and he foolishly imagined, that with its assistance, he might be able to
accomplish what he had so much at heart. He was a pretty good player of
Scotch reels; and with this slender recommendation, and hardly any other
provision against want, he determined to sally forth.
He accordingly left
Edinburgh in the month of August, 1787. He had carefully concealed his
design from his parents, lest it should be the occasion of giving them
pain, for he seems to have been well aware in what light his imprudence
would be viewed by others. What road he took, or how long he was on his
journey between Edinburgh and Newcastle, is not known. But he arrived
there, as it would seem, sufficiently disgusted with his undertaking; for,
instead of directing his course to the capital by land, he embarked in a collier
at North Shields, and sailed for the metropolis, where he arrived on
the 2d of September. Here he was as much, if not more at a loss, than
ever. At last, seeing an advertisement in a paper, that a clerk was
wanted, after having suffered incredibly from hunger and cold, he applied
and obtained this paltry appointment. By habits of industry and attention
to business, he recommended himself to his employer, and after various
incidents he at last engaged in the service of a solicitor, with whom he
remained for nearly three years.
This employment, though
exceedingly trifling, was sufficient to supply him food and clothes. He
describes himself, at this period, as having little or no sense of
religion upon his mind. He did not attend church regularly; and the Sunday
was generally spent in idleness, though at no time of his life was he
given to habits of dissipation. About this time he got acquainted with the
Rev. John Newton of St Mary's, Woolnoth, London, the friend of Cowper, who
introduced him to the celebrated Henry Thornton. This latter person, whose
heart and fortune were alike bounteous, was the chief occasion of his
being afterwards so successful and distinguished in life. As Mr. Buchanan
had now formed the resolution of becoming a clergyman, though he could not
regularly enter the church of England, for want of a university education,
Mr. Thornton offered him the Chaplaincy of the Sierra Leone company, in
which association he bore a leading part. The appointment was accepted by
Mr. Buchanan, but, for some unknown reason, was not acted upon. Mr.
Thornton, however, generously resolved not to leave his ward destitute or
unprovided. He sent him to Queens' College, Cambridge, which was then
conducted by his friend Dr. Milner, Dean of Carlisle. Mr. Buchanan was
admitted into this Society in 1791, and in the 25th year of his age. It
has been mentioned, that he was two sessions at the university of Glasgow,
but it may be doubted whether this was of essential service to him, so
different are the regulations, customs, and habits of the two
establishments. He was disposed to enter as a Sizar, that is a
scholar of the lowest rank, the same as Servitor at Oxford; but it
was arranged that he should be admitted as a pensioner, or a scholar who
pays for his Commons. He distinguished himself at College by great
assiduity, and though his mind does not appear to have had any particular
bent to the science of quantity, he devoted some attention to the
favourite pursuit of the university, the higher branches of mathematics.
Having got a theme or subject to write upon in Latin, he succeeded so well
as to gain the most marked commendation of his superiors; and he was
appointed to declaim in Latin upon the 5th of November, which is always
esteemed by the students as a singular honour – this day being one of
the most solemn festivals of the year. He was also appointed, about the
same time, Librarian to the College, an office of which the duties were
more honourable than severe; and he was the senior wrangler of his year.
About the year 1794, the
Rev. John Newton proposed to him a voyage to India. The precise nature of
this proposal is not stated; but it might only be a hint to him to turn in
his mind how he would relish such an appointment. His education being now
complete, he was, in September, 1795, regularly ordained deacon of the
church of England, by Bishop Porteous. He was immediately admitted curate
to Mr. Newton, which was his first appointment. On 30th March, 1796, he
was appointed Chaplain to the East India Company, through the interest of
the director, Mr. Charles Grant, who continued to patronise him through
life. Dr Milner and others now recommended him a second time to the Bishop
of London, from whom he received Priest's orders, so that he was qualified
to accept of any situation in the English establishment. In the month of
May he went to Scotland, in order to take leave of his relations before
setting out for India. He immediately returned to England, and left
Portsmouth for Bengal, 11th August 1796. Landing at Calcutta, he was soon
sent into the interior to Barrackpore, where he resided for some time.
India was to him a scene perfectly new; at this period hardly any decency
was observed in the outward relations of life. There was no divine service
at Barrackpore, and horse-racing was practised on Sunday. Of course it was
an excellent field for the exertions of a Christian minister. Mr. Buchanan
having been appointed third chaplain to the presidency in Calcutta, by
Lord Mornington, preached so much to the satisfaction of his audience,
that he received thanks from the Governor General in council. The plan of
a Collegiate Institution had been for some time under the consideration of
his lordship. In 1800, it was formally established by a minute in council,
and vested in a provost and vice-provost, with three other officers. There
were also to be established professorships in the languages spoken in
India, in Hindoo, and Mahomedan laws, in the negotiations and laws enacted
at the several presidencies for the civil government of the British
territories - in Political Economy, Commercial institutions and interests
of the East India Company, and in various branches of literature and
science. Some of the learned natives attached to the college, were
employed in teaching the students, others in making translations, and
others in composing original works in the Oriental tongues. This
institution, which has been of immense service to British India, was
called the College of Fort William. Mr. Buchanan was professor of the
Greek, Latin, and English classics. The translation of the original
Scriptures from the originals into modern languages had always been with
him a favourite scheme. To effect a similar purpose, he proposed prizes to
be competed for by the universities, and some of the public schools in the
United Kingdom. These were afterwards more fully explained in a memoir by
him, in 1805. A translation of the Bible into the Chinese language was
also patronized by him. In the course of the same year, he wrote an
account of the College of Fort William; and the University of Glasgow
conferred upon him the degree of D. D.
In May, 1806, he undertook
a journey to the coast of Malabar, and returned to Calcutta in 1807. He
paid a second visit to Malabar, and powerfully assisted in procuring a
version of the Scriptures into Malaysian. In March, 1808, he undertook a
voyage to Europe. Second prizes of L.500 each were offered by him to
Oxford and Cambridge; and in pursuance of his proposals, sermons were
preached at both universities.
In September, 1808; Dr
Buchanan undertook a journey into Scotland, where he had the gratification
of finding his mother in good health. He preached in the episcopal chapel
at Glasgow, and mentions that the people came in crowds to hear him,
"notwithstanding the organ." He observed a more tolerant
spirit among the different orders of religion in Scotland than what
formerly prevailed. On his return, he preached, at Bristol, his celebrated
sermon, "The Star in the East," which was the first of that
series of able and well-directed efforts by which, in pursuance of a
resolution formed in India, he endeavoured to cherish and extend the
interest he had already excited for the promotion of Christianity in the
east. In spring, 1809, he spent some days at Oxford, collating oriental
versions of the bible. He next paid a visit to Cambridge, where he
deposited some valuable biblical manuscripts, which he had collected in
India. The university honoured him with the degree of D.D. About this
period, he preached regularly for some time in Wilbeck chapel, London,
after which he retired to Kirby Hall, in Yorkshire, the seat of his
father-in-law, Henry Thompson, Esq. His health now began to decline, and
as he was advised by his physicians to study less unremittingly, he formed
the idea of uniting the recovery of his health, and some share of
continued usefulness, by travelling to the Holy Land, and endeavoring to
re-establish the gospel on its native ground. This design, however, he
never executed. Various paralytic affections, which, one after another,
fell upon his frame, admonished, him that the day of active exertion with
him was past. He was nevertheless about, within the course of a few years,
to publish the following works: 1, Three Jubilee Sermons; 2. Annual
Missionary Sermon, before the Church Missionary Society, June 12, 1810; 3,
Commencement Sermons at Cambridge; 4, Christian Researches in Asia; 5,
Sketch of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India; 6, Colonial
Ecclesiastical Establishment.
He had been twice married,
but survived both of his spouses. He ultimately went to reside at Cheshunt
in Hertfordshire, to superintend a Syriac edition of the New Testament.
Here he died, February 9, 1815, while his task was still incomplete, at
the early age of forty-eight. The exertions of this amiable and exemplary
man in propagating the Christian religion in India, will long keep his
name in grateful remembrance, among all to whom the interests of religion
are in the least endeared. |
