"To set their life upon a cast,And stand the hazard of the die."
"To set their life upon a cast,And stand the hazard of the die."
"To set their life upon a cast,
And stand the hazard of the die."
He was merely a knight-errant in search of new regions of the world; yet the steady courage with which he encountered danger—his patience and fortitude in adversity—his good sense in prosperity—the skill and judgment with which he steered his lonely course through some of the most barren and barbarous regions of the earth, bending even the ignorance, passions, and prejudices of the people he visited to his own advantage—the graphic truth with which he describes the strange scenes that he witnessed, and his inflexible courage in maintaining the truth of his assertions against the mean, barbarous incredulity of his age, most deservedly place him at the head of his own class, where he stands second to none. His example, therefore, is well worthy the attention and study of every individual whose duty or inclination may lead him to attempt to penetrate the yet unknown, perilous, and uncivilized regions of the globe.
Four days after his death, his remains, attended by his tenantry and by several of the principal men in the country, were deposited in the churchyard of Larbert, in a tomb which Bruce had built for his wife and his infant child.
On the south side of the monument there is the following inscription:
in this tomb are deposited the remainsofJames Bruce, Esq., of Kinnaird,who died on the 27th of april, 1794,in the 64th year of his age.
his life was spent in performinguseful and splendid actions.he explored many distant regions.he discovered the sources of the nile.he traversed the deserts of nubia.
he was an affectionate husband,an indulgent parent,an ardent lover of his country.
by the unanimous voice of mankind,his name is enrolled with thosewho were conspicuousfor genius, for valour, and for virtue.
The descendants of James Bruce of Kinnaird remain to this day in their country—unrewarded.
FOOTNOTES:[38]A great deal has been written and said against Bruce for having presented to the king,as his own performance, these drawings, which it has been very liberally assumed were the productions of Balugani, his Italian clerk. But, even admitting that Balugani held the pencil, we submit that Bruce was fully entitled to present them to the king and his countryas his own productions. They were not works of genius or imagination, but architectural drawings, the plan and elevation of which were regularly shown by a scale annexed. Their value was their minute accuracy; and their merit consisted in the danger and difficulty with which such details had been procured.[39]The writer of this was acquainted with Belzoni, and has heard him describe scenes in his travels perhaps quite as marvellous as anything told by Bruce; and, knowing the character of the man, he could not for a moment doubt their entire truth.—Am. Ed.
[38]A great deal has been written and said against Bruce for having presented to the king,as his own performance, these drawings, which it has been very liberally assumed were the productions of Balugani, his Italian clerk. But, even admitting that Balugani held the pencil, we submit that Bruce was fully entitled to present them to the king and his countryas his own productions. They were not works of genius or imagination, but architectural drawings, the plan and elevation of which were regularly shown by a scale annexed. Their value was their minute accuracy; and their merit consisted in the danger and difficulty with which such details had been procured.
[38]A great deal has been written and said against Bruce for having presented to the king,as his own performance, these drawings, which it has been very liberally assumed were the productions of Balugani, his Italian clerk. But, even admitting that Balugani held the pencil, we submit that Bruce was fully entitled to present them to the king and his countryas his own productions. They were not works of genius or imagination, but architectural drawings, the plan and elevation of which were regularly shown by a scale annexed. Their value was their minute accuracy; and their merit consisted in the danger and difficulty with which such details had been procured.
[39]The writer of this was acquainted with Belzoni, and has heard him describe scenes in his travels perhaps quite as marvellous as anything told by Bruce; and, knowing the character of the man, he could not for a moment doubt their entire truth.—Am. Ed.
[39]The writer of this was acquainted with Belzoni, and has heard him describe scenes in his travels perhaps quite as marvellous as anything told by Bruce; and, knowing the character of the man, he could not for a moment doubt their entire truth.—Am. Ed.