MOOR, JAMES, LL.D., an eminent Greek
scholar, was the son of Mr Robert Muir, schoolmaster in Glasgow; a person of
considerable learning, and of such unwearied industry, that, being too poor
to purchase Newton’s Principia, he copied the whole book with his own hand.
The subject of this notice entered the university of Glasgow in 1725, and
distinguished himself by great industry and capacity as a student. After
finishing his academical course, and taking the degree of M.A., with
considerable applause, he taught a school for some time in Glasgow. This
situation he seems to have abandoned, in order to become tutor to the earls
of Selkirk and Errol, in which capacity he traveled abroad. He was
afterwards in the family of the earl of Kilmarnock; and on the burning of
Dean Castle, which took place in his absence, lost a considerable stock of
books, which he had employed himself in collecting for his own use. Without
the knowledge of the earl, Moor instructed lord Boyd in Greek, so that the
young nobleman was able to surprise his father one day by reading, at his
tutor’s desire, one of the odes to Anacreon. In 1742, he was appointed
librarian to the university of Glasgow; and in July, 1746, became professor
of Greek in the same institution, the earl of Selkirk advancing him 600
pounds, in order to purchase the resignation of the preceding incumbent. On
the condemnation of his patron, the earl of Kilmarnock, for his concern in
the insurrection of 1745, Moor, who was of opposite politics, made a journey
to London, for the purpose of making interest with the ministers for his
lordship’s pardon; an enterprise honourable to his feelings, however
unsuccessful.
Moor was a useful professor, and,
besides his academical duties, conferred some benefits on the literary world
by his publications. In company with professor Muirhead, he superintended,
at the request of the university, a very splendid edition of Homer,
published by the Foulises of Glasgow. He also edited their Herodotus, and
was of service in several of their other publications. Some essays, read by
him before the Literary Society (of Glasgow), of which he was a constituent
member, were collected and published, in 8vo, in 1759. In 1766, he published
"A Vindication of Virgil from the charge of Puerility, imputed to him by Dr
Pearce," 12 mo. His principal work, however, was his Grammar of the Greek
Language, which has ever since been very extensively used in schools. He
collected a large and valuable library, and selected a cabinet of medals,
which the university afterwards purchased. In 1761, he was appointed
vice-rector of the college, by the earl of Errol, the lord rector, who,
under the designation of lord Boyd, had formerly been his pupil. In 1763, he
applied to the university for the degree of Doctor of Laws, which was
granted to him, in consideration of his talents and services. Dr Moor was
addicted to the cultivation of light literature, and used to amuse himself
and his friends, by writing verses in the Hudibrastic vein. He resigned his
chair in 1774, on account of bad health, and died on the 17th of
September, 1779.
