ionship.

Melville's scholarly bent showed itself early. 'He was a sicklie, tender
boy, and tuk pleasure in nathing sa meikle as his buik.' He began his
education in the Grammar School of Montrose, which had great repute, and
on leaving it he attended for two years the school in the same town,
founded by Erskine of Dun, for the teaching of Greek. It was in the
latter school that he learned the rudiments of Greek, in which he had
afterwards few equals anywhere, and none in Scotland. In 1559 Melville
entered the University of St. Andrews and joined St. Mary's College.
Aristotle's Works were the only text-books used; and Melville was the
only one in the University, whether student or professor, who could read
them in the original. He was a favourite of the Provost of his College,
John Douglas, who invited him often to his house and encouraged him in
his studies, and discerned in him the promise of distinction as a
scholar. 'He wad tak the boy betwix his legges at the fire in winter,
and blessing him say--"My sillie fatherless and motherless chyld, it's
ill to wit what God may mak of thee yet!"' Melville finished his
curriculum at St. Andrews in 1564, and left with the reputation of being
'the best philosopher, poet, and Grecian of any young maister in the
land.'

It was common at that time for Scottish students on leaving their own
Universities to seek, at the Continental seats of learning, a more
abundant education than their own country could afford. We shall see
that when Melville came to be at the head in succession of our two
principal Universities, he considerably modified this custom. He
conformed to it, however, in his own case, and the same year in which he
closed his course at St. Andrews left Scotland to prosecute his studies
abroad. The next decade was his Wander-jahre. He went first of all to
Paris, whose University was the most renowned in Europe. There was a
truce at the time between the Catholics and the Reformers in France; a
large measure of toleration was allowed by the Government, and the
principal Professors were Protestants. In Paris, Melville sat at the
feet of some of the most distinguished scholars of the day: he read
diligently in Greek literature; acquired a knowledge of Hebrew; and at
the same time studied Philosophy under Petrus Ramus, the great opponent
of Aristotelianism, becoming a follower of this daring innovator, whose
system he afterwards introduced in the Scottish Universities.

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