on a
small stipend, refusing for a long time to ask an augmentation from the
Tiend Court, until his scruples were overborne by the pressing
entreaties of his heritors. This venerable patriarch lived to see the
blessing of his Covenant-God, and the reward of his own training, in the
highly honourable and successful career of his family. He had nine
children, of whom four died in early life. The remaining five
were--John, born in 1775; Allan, born in 1781; Elizabeth, born in 1786;
James, born in 1788; and the youngest, the only one of the family now
living, George, born in 1795. The eldest son--Dr. John Burns,
F.R.S.--was the first Professor of Surgery in the University of Glasgow.
He was a man of extensive erudition and devoted piety. He wrote several
standard medical works, which secured for him the high honour of being
elected a member of the Institute of France, and also several most
excellent religious works, one of which, entitled "Christian
Philosophy," is still popular. His sad death, by drowning, in the wreck
of the steamer Orion, in 1850, will be well remembered. The second
son--Allan--was the intimate friend of Sir Astley Cooper, Bart., the
celebrated surgeon. He went to St. Petersburg, where he became physician
to the Empress of Russia, from whom he received valuable presents and
honourable distinctions. Returning to Glasgow, he lectured on anatomy,
and prosecuted his profession with great success. He died at the early
age of thirty-two, in consequence of a wound received while dissecting.
But short as was his career, he succeeded in acquiring a European
reputation by his scientific writings. James and George, both of whom
possessed much of the native talent of the family, found ample scope for
their abilities in mercantile pursuits, and about the year 1818 they
entered into partnership and commenced business in Glasgow. In 1824 they
became owners, along with the late Hugh Matthie of Liverpool, of six
sailing vessels trading between that port and Glasgow, and in the same
year they engaged in steam navigation between Glasgow and Belfast.
Shortly thereafter they substituted steam for sailing vessels in the
Glasgow and Liverpool trade, and in 1830 they amalgamated this concern
with that of the Messrs. MacIver of Liverpool. The various trades thus
organised comprised branches between Glasgow and Liverpool, Belfast,
Londonderry, and the West Highlands, but the last named business was
disposed of in 1852 to Mr. David