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BLACKWELL, THOMAS, the
restorer of Greek literature in the North of Scotland, and a learned
writer of the eighteenth century, was brother to the subject of the
preceding article. He was born at Aberdeen, August 4th, 1701, and after
receiving the rudiments of his education at the Grammar School of his
native city, [The history of the origin of what are technically, in
Scotland, denominated Grammar Schools, is involved in considerable
obscurity. The probability is, that they were in most cases founded by
generous individuals, who wished well to the cause of literature, and who,
to secure that proper care should be taken in the management of the funds
by which the establishment was supported, vested the money appropriated
for that purpose in some public body, or corporation. It does not
admit of a doubt, that this took place in several of the principal
Scottish burghs; but it is very singular, that those schools were limited
to the Latin language alone. This proceeded from the dread that there was
a design in the founders of such seminaries to supersede Universities,
where Latin, Greek, and Hebrew were taught. The Grammar School of Aberdeen
was founded by Dr Patrick Dun, Principal of Marischal College, who was a
native of the city, and had resided at Padua, where he took his degree of
Doctor of Medicine.] entered his academical course at the Marischal
College, where he took the degree of A. M. in 1718. A separate
professorship of Greek had not existed in this seminary previous to 1700,
and the best of the ancient languages was at that period very little
cultivated in Scotland. Blackwell, having turned his attention to Greek,
was honoured, in 1723, when only twenty-two years of age, with a crown
appointment to this chair. He entered upon the discharge of the duties of
his office with the utmost ardour. It perfectly suited his inclination and
habits. He was an enthusiastic admirer of the language and literature of
Greece, and the whole bent of his studies was exclusively devoted to the
cultivation of polite learning. He had the merit of rearing some very
eminent Greek scholars, among whom may be mentioned Principal George
Campbell, Dr Alexander Gerard, and Dr James Beattie. The last has borne
ample testimony to the merit of his master, in his "Essay on the
Utility of Classical Learning," where he styles Principal Blackwell
"a very learned author."
Dr Blackwell first appeared
before the public, as an author, in 1737. His Inquiry into the Life and
Writings of Homer was published at London during the course of that year,
but without his name. It has been positively affirmed with what truth it
is impossible to say, that its being anonymous, was in imitation of Lord
Shaftesbury, of whom he was a warm admirer, and whose works were published
after that manner. The style, also, is vitiated by a perpetual effort at
the Shaftesburian vein, which is, perhaps, the principal fault in the
writings of Blackwell. A second edition of the work appeared in 1746, and
shortly after, "Proofs of the Inquiry into Homer’s Life and
Writings." These proofs chiefly consisted of a translation of the
Greek, Latin, Spanish, Italian, and French notes subjoined to the original
work. The Inquiry contains a great deal of research, as well as a
display of miscellaneous learning. Perhaps its principal defect consists
in the author’s discovering an over anxiety in regard to both; at least,
he has not been sufficiently careful to guard against time imputation of
sometimes going out of his way to show what labour he had bestowed in
examining every source of information, both ancient and modern, foreign
and domestic. Though the life of Homer has been written by Herodotus, by
Plutarch, and by Suidas, among the Greeks, and by an innumerable host of
writers scattered through other nations, yet there is hardly one point in
his history about which they are agreed, excepting the prodigious merit of
his poems, and the sophist Zoilus would not even grant this. How great
uncertainty prevailed respecting the time and place of his birth,
abundantly appears from seven Grecian cities contending in regard to the
latter point. When the field was so extensive, and so great diversity of
opinion prevailed, it cannot fail to be perceived how arduous an
enterprise Dr Blackwell had undertaken. His criticisms on the poems
themselves are always encomiastic, often ingenious, and delivered in
language that can give no reasonable ground of offence. The work will be
read with both pleasure and profit by all who are prepared to enter upon
such inquiries. It is generally esteemed the best of his performances.
He published, in 1748,
"Letters concerning Mythology," without his name also. In the
course of the same year, he was advanced to be principal of his College,
succeeding Dr John Osborne, who died upon the 19th of August. Dr
Blackwell, however, was not admitted to the exercise of his new office
till the subsequent 9th of November. The first object of his attention
respected the discipline of the College. Great irregularities had crept
into the institution, not in his predecessor’s time only, but probably
almost from its foundation. Through the poverty of the generality of the
students in those days, their attendance, short as the session was allowed
to be, was very partial; to correct this, he considered to be
indispensably necessary. Accordingly, about the middle of October, 1749,
previous to the commencement of the session, an advertisement in the
public papers informed the students, that a more regular attendance was to
be required. This, it would appear, did not produce the intended effect.
Accordingly, to show that the Principal and Professors were perfectly in
earnest when they gave this public notice, three of the Bursars who had
not complied with the terms of the advertisement, were, on the 10th of
November, expelled. This decision gave general satisfaction, and indeed
deserved high commendation.
But, that the Professors
themselves might be more alert and attentive to their duty, he revived a
practice which, it is likely, had at an early period been common, for
every Professor in the University to deliver a discourse in the public
school upon some subject connected with his profession. He himself set the
example, and delivered his first oration upon the 7th of February, 1749.
When Blackwell was promoted to the principality, instead of sinking in
indolence, he seems to have considered it rather as affording an
excitement to exertion. In February, 1750, he opened a class for the
instruction of the students in ancient history, geography, and chronology.
Prelections on these branches of education, he thought necessary to render
more perfect the course at Marischal College. He, therefore, himself
undertook the task. The design of his opening this class evidently was to
pave the way for the introduction of a new plan of teaching into Marischal
College, which, accordingly, he soon after accomplished. At the
commencement of the session 1752, public notice was given that, "the
Principal, Professors, and Masters, having long had under their
consideration the present method of academical education, the plan of
which, originally introduced by the scholastic divines in the darkest
times, is more calculated for disputes and wrangling than to fit men for
the duties of life, therefore have resolved to introduce a new order in
teaching the sciences." The order which was then adopted, is what
still continues in force in that University. Three years afterwards, when
the new plan had been put to the trial for as many sessions, the faculty
of the college ordered an account of the plan of education which was
followed to be printed. This formed a pamphlet of thirty-five pages. It
concludes thus:— "They have already begun to experience the public
approbation by the increase of the number of their students." So that
he had the agreeable pleasure of witnessing the success of the plan he had
proposed.
In 1752 he took the degree
of Doctor of Laws, and in the subsequent year, was published, in quarto,
the first volume of "Memoirs of the Court of Augustus." A second
volume appeared in 1755, and a third, which was posthumous, and left
unfinished by the author, was prepared for the press by John Mills, Esq.
and published in 1764. In this work, the author has endeavoured to give an
account of Roman literature as it appeared in the Augustan age, and he has
executed the task with no small share of success. Objections might easily
be started to some of his theories and opinions, but every classical
scholar who is fond of literary history will peruse the work with pleasure
as well as profit.
Dr Blackwell died, at
Edinburgh, upon the 6th of March, 1757. He was certainly a very
extraordinary person, and like every man of acknowledged talents, formed a
very general subject of conversation. He was formal, and even pompous. His
dress was after the fashion of the reign of Queen Anne. The portly mien
and dignified manner in which he stepped through the public school,
impressed all the students with a deep sense of his professional
importance. He was, nevertheless, kind and indulgent to them, and of a
benevolent disposition. He left a widow, but no children. Mrs Blackwell,
in 1793, founded a chemical professorship in Marischal College, and
appointed a premium of ten pounds sterling to be annually bestowed on the
person who should compose, and deliver, in the English language, the best
discourse upon a given literary subject.
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