to the
yet more toilsome task of cultivating youth. As Catholics confide in
the imputed righteousness of their saints, so did the good old Doctor
plume himself upon the success of his scholars in life, all of which
he never failed (and often justly) to claim as the creation, or at
least the fruits, of his early instructions. He remembered the fate of
every boy {p.027} at his school during the fifty years he had
superintended it, and always traced their success or misfortunes
entirely to their attention or negligence when under his care. His
"noisy mansion," which to others would have been a melancholy bedlam,
was the pride of his heart; and the only fatigues he felt, amidst din
and tumult, and the necessity of reading themes, hearing lessons, and
maintaining some degree of order at the same time, were relieved by
comparing himself to Caesar, who could dictate to three secretaries at
once;--so ready is vanity to lighten the labors of duty.

It is a pity that a man so learned, so admirably adapted for his
station, so useful, so simple, so easily contented, should have had
other subjects of mortification. But the magistrates of Edinburgh, not
knowing the treasure they possessed in Dr. Adam, encouraged a savage
fellow, called Nicol, one of the undermasters, in insulting his person
and authority. This man was an excellent classical scholar, and an
admirable convivial humorist (which latter quality recommended him to
the friendship of Burns); but worthless, drunken, and inhumanly cruel
to the boys under his charge. He carried his feud against the Rector
within an inch of assassination, for he waylaid and knocked him down
in the dark. The favor which this worthless rival obtained in the town
council led to other consequences, which for some time clouded poor
Adam's happiness and fair fame. When the French Revolution broke out,
and parties ran high in approving or condemning it, the Doctor
incautiously joined the former. This was very natural, for as all his
ideas of existing governments were derived from his experience of the
town council of Edinburgh, it must be admitted they scarce brooked
comparison with the free states of Rome and Greece, from which he
borrowed his opinions concerning republics. His want of caution in
speaking on the political topics of the day lost him the respect of
the boys, most of whom were accustomed to hear {p.028} very
different opinions on those matters in the bosom of their families.
This, howev