Product Synopsis

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. Alexander Murray. It is a fact worth noting that the two greatest linguists of Britain, two of the greatest linguists the world has known, were born in Scotland in the same year, in neighbouring counties, and in the humblest ranks of pastoral life. The father of Leyden was a shepherd, and Murray tells us, "My father, Eobert Murray, had been a shepherd all his days." The greater part of the early youth of both was spent in herding sheep in glens, or on the hill-side, and each had attained his ninth year before being sent to school. The impediments in Leyden's path were not perhaps so great as those in that of Murray, but they were equally ardent in the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties that to others would have seemed insurmountable. Murray entered the University four years later than his friend,1 but the studies of each being intended to qualify for a clerical career, and their tastes and circumstances similar, they were thrown umch together, and continued throughout life warm and steady friends. Their mutual respect was great, and they are reported to have severally declared, that each regarded the other as his only formidable rival in philology. 1 "Born a poor boy in the wilds of Galloway, an early thirst for knowledge, but particularly for languages, left him little rest by day or by night. I knew him at Dalzel's class, a little shivering creature, gentle, studious, timid, and reserved."--Lord Cockburn's Memorials of his Time. In a letter dated 20th July 1812, from Murray to the Eev. J. G. Maitland of Minigaff, embodying a short narrative of his early life, written at the solicitation of that gentleman and of Principal Baird, he says:--" Gratitude seems to require that I should not refuse to give you and my other proven friend the mea...