EDINBURGH] THE TRON 141 20th Nov. 1758); one of His Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary 1759 ; Dean of the Chapel Koyal 1761 ; Dean of the Order of the Thistle 1763. He died suddenly in the General Assembly, 30th May 1766. He was an intimate of John Home, author of Douglas, and a man of infinite pleasantry as well as great talents, whose conversation possessed the charm of easy, natural, attractive humour. His playful vivacity often amused itself in a sort of mock contest with the somewhat infantile simplicity of David Hume the philosopher, who enjoyed the discovery of the joke which had excited the laugh of his companions around him : On one occasion Hume, going down the stair after visiting Jardine, refused a light, saying "he was well acquainted with the stair." He stuck, however, when his friend exclaimed, "Ah ! David, I knew you wanted supernatural light." He marr. 7th Feb. 1744, Jean (died 27th Sept. 1766), eldest daugh. of George Drummond, commissioner of Excise, and Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and had issue—Robert, died at Liberton, 8th Feb. 1747 (seetombstone there) ; George, born 10th Aug. 1753, W.S. apprentice 1770 ; John, born 24th Dec. 1759, died 17th March 1763; Janet, born 15th May 1762 (marr. 11th Oct. 1782, George Drummond Home of Blair-Drummond), died 30th Jan. 1840 ; Sir Henry, W.S., King's Remembrancer, born 30th May 1766, died 11th Aug. 1851. Publication— In the theological depart- ment of the old Edinburgh Review (Edin- burgh, 1755-6) he handled some Secession publications severely. Great indignation was aroused, and the Revieiv was withdrawn after only two numbers had been issued.— [Scots Mag., xxviii. ; Mackenzie's Life of Home, Malcolm's House of Drummond, Car- lyle's Autob., Kay's Portr., Lawson's Case; Morren's Ann., ii.] JOHN DRYSDALE, born 29th April 1718, son of John D., min. of Kirk-6 caldy ; educated at Univ. of Edin- burgh ; licen. by Presb. of Kirkcaldy 1740; assistant at Trinity Parish, Edinburgh ; ord. to Kirkliston 9th Aug. 1749 ; trans, to Lady Yester's, Edinburgh, 14th Aug. 1764 ; D.D. (Aberdeen 1765); one of His Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary and a Dean of the Chapel Royal 1766 ; trans, and adm. 22nd Oct. 1767 ; Moderator of Assembly 20th May 1773 ; principal clerk (assistant and successor) 29th May 1778 ; a second time Moderator 20th May 1784 ; died 16th June 1788. He possessed indefatigable industry and talent, and strenuously assisted Prin- cipal Robertson in managing the business of the Church. He marr. 11th June 1749, Mary (died 20th Jan. 1799), fourth daugh. of William Adam of Maryburgh and Blair, and had issue—Anne, born 29th Oct. 1751 (marr. 28th April 1786, Andrew Dalzel, Professor of Greek, Univ. of Edinburgh), died 1826; Wilhelmina, born 23rd Sept. 1757, died 20th July 1766; Mary, born 10th Sept. 1760 ; Elizabeth, born 29th July 1767, died 2nd Sept. 1773. Publication— Sermons, with an Account of his Life, by his Son-in-law, 2 vols. (Edinburgh, 1793). — [Serms., i. ; Sinclair's Stat. Ace. and JVeiv Stat. Ace, Douglas's Bar., Carlyle's Autob., Moncreiffs Life of Ershine ; Scots Mag., lv. ; Kay's Portr., i. ; Grant's Univ., ii. ; Diet. Nat. Liog.] WILLIAM SIMPSON, born 22nd Aug. 1744, second son of James S., min. of Wilton ; licen. by Presb. of Kelso 3rd Oct. 1760; ord. to Morebattle 18th April 1761 ; trans, to Lady Yester's, Edinburgh, 9th June 1785 ; pres. by the Town Council 25th Feb., trans, and adm. 2nd Aug. 1789 ; D.D. (Edinburgh, 8th Feb. 1810) ; died 24th Jan. 1831. He marr. (1) 7th Nov. 1775, Jean Douglas Balderston, who died 2nd Dec. 1786, and had issue—Euphemia, born 15th Sept. 1776; Ann, born 15th Nov. 1778; James, advocate, author of A Visit to Flanders after the Battle of Waterloo, born 10th Sept. 1780, died 2nd Sept. 1853 ; George, born 5th July 1782, died 3rd Sept. 1807 : (2) 29th Sept. 1794, Isabella (born 27th Nov. 1742, died 27th Nov. 1825), daugh. of James Ker of Bughtrig.—[Kay's Portr., i. ; etc.] JOHN HUNTER, born 1st Nov. 1788, youngest son of Andrew H., D.D., min. in 1786 ; licen. by Presb. of Penpont 9th June 1812; ord. to Swinton 28th Sept. 1814 ; pres. (assistant and suc- 1789