. In 1847 he paid a second visit to
England, when he spent a week with Carlyle, and delivered a course of
lectures in England and Scotland on "Representative Men," which he
subsequently _pub._ _English Traits_ appeared in 1856. In 1857 _The
Atlantic Monthly_ was started, and to it he became a frequent
contributor. In 1874 he was nominated for the Lord Rectorship of the
Univ. of Glasgow, but was defeated by Disraeli. He, however, regarded his
nomination as the greatest honour of his life. After 1867 he wrote
little. He _d._ on April 27, 1882. His works were _coll._ in 11 vols.,
and in addition to those above mentioned include _Essays_ (two series),
_Conduct of Life_, _Society and Solitude_, _Natural History of
Intellect_, and _Poems_. The intellect of E. was subtle rather than
robust, and suggestive rather than systematic. He wrote down the
intuitions and suggestions of the moment, and was entirely careless as to
whether these harmonised with previous statements. He was an original and
stimulating thinker and writer, and wielded a style of much beauty and
fascination. His religious views approached more nearly to Pantheism than
to any other known system of belief. He was a man of singular elevation
and purity of character.

ERCILDOUN, THOMAS of, or "THOMAS THE RHYMER" (_fl._ 1220-1297).--A
minstrel to whom is ascribed _Sir Tristrem_, a rhyme or story for
recitation. He had a reputation for prophecy, and is reported to have
foretold the death of Alexander III., and various other events.

ERIGENA, or SCOTUS, JOHN (_fl._ 850).--Philosopher, _b._ in Scotland or
Ireland, was employed at the Court of Charles the Bald, King of France.
He was a pantheistic mystic, and made translations from the Alexandrian
philosophers. He was bold in the exposition of his principles, and had
both strength and subtlety of intellect. His chief work is _De Divisione
Naturae_, a dialogue in which he places reason above authority.

ERSKINE, RALPH (1685-1752).--Scottish Divine and poet, was _b._ near
Cornhill, Northumberland, where his _f._, a man of ancient Scottish
family, was, for the time, a nonconforming minister. He became minister
of Dunfermline, and, with his brother Ebenezer, was involved in the
controversies in the Church of Scotland, which led to the founding of the
Secession Church in 1736. He has a place in literature as the writer of
devotional works, especially for his _Gospel Sonnets_ (of which 25 ed.
had appeared by 1797), an