THE LIFE OF GRAINGER, BY MR. CHALMERS. JAMES GRAINGER was born at Dunse, a small town in the southern part of Scotland, about the year 1723. His father, a native of Cumberland, and once a man of considerable property, had removed to Dunse, on the failure of some speculations in mining, and there filled a post in the excise. His son, the subject of this memoir, after receiving such education as his native place afforded, went to Edinburgh, where he was apprenticed to Mr. Lawder, a surgeon, and had an opportunity of studying the various branches of medical science, which were then begun to be taught by the justly celebrated founders of the school of medicine in that city. Having qualified himself for such situations as are attainable by young men whose circumstances do not permit them to wait the slow returns of medical practice at home, he first served as surgeon to lieut.-general Pulteney's regiment of foot, during the rebellion (of 1745) in Scotland, and afterwards went in the same capacity to Germany, where that regiment composed part of the army under the earl of Stair. With the reputation and interest which his skill and learning procured abroad, he came over to England at the peace of Aix la Chapelle, sold his commission, and entered upon practice, as a physician, in London. In 1753, he published the result of his experience in some diseases of the army, in a volume, written in Latin, entitled Historia Febris Anomalæ Bataræ annorum 1746, 1747, 1748, &c. In this work he appears to advantage as an acute observer of the phenomena of disease, and as a man of general learning, but what accession he had been able to make to the stock of medical knowledge was unfortunately anticipated in sir John Pringle's recent and very valuable work on the diseases of the army. During his residence in London, his literary talents introduced him to the acquaintance of many men of genius, particularly of Shenstone, Dr. Percy, now bishop of Dromore, Glover, Dr. Johnson, sir Joshua Reynolds, and others who, by Mr. Boswell's comprehensive biography, are now known to have composed Dr. John on's society, and it is no small praise that every member of it regarded Dr. Grainger with affection. He was first known as a poet by his Ode on Solitnde, which has been unive praised, and never beyond its merits, but professional success is seldom promoted by the reputation of genius. Grainger's practice was insufficient to employ his days or to provide for them, and he is said to have accepted the office of tutor to a young gentleman who settled an annuity upon him: nor did he disdain such literary employment as the booksellers suggested. Smollet, in the course of a controversy which will be noticed hereafter, accuses him of working for bread in the lowest employments of literature, and at the lowest prices. This, if it be not the loose assertion of a calumniator, may perhaps refer to the assistance he gave in preparing the second volume of Maitland's History of Scotland, in which he was employed by Andrew Millar, who has seldom been accused of bargaining with authors for the lowest prices. Maitland had left materials for the volume, and as Grainger's business was to arrange them, and continue the work as nearly as possible in Maitland's manner and style, much fame could not result from his best endeavours. 66 In 1758, he published a translation of the Elegies of Tibullus, begun during the hours he snatched from business or pleasure, when in the army; and finished in London, where he had more leisure, and the aid and encouragement of his literary friends. This work involved him in the unpleasant contest with Smollet to which we have just referred. Its merits were canvassed in the Critical Review with much severity. The notes are styled "a huge farrago of learned lumber, jumbled together to very little purpose, seemingly calculated to display the translator's reading, rather than to illustrate the sense and beauty of the original." The Life of Tibullus, which the translator prefixed, is said to contain" very little either to inform, interest, or amuse the reader." With respect to the translation," the author has not found it an easy task to preserve the elegance and harmony of the original." Instances of harshness and inelegance are quoted, as well as of the use of words which are not English, or not used by good writers, as noiseless, redoubtable, feud, &c. The author is likewise accused of deviating not only from the meaning, but from the figures of the original. Of these objections some are groundless and some are just, yet even the latter are by no means characteristic of the whole work, but exceptions, which a critic of more candour would have had a right to state, after he had bestowed the praise due to its general merit. In this review, however, although unqualified censure was all the critic had in view, no personal attack is made on the author, nor are there any allusions to his situation in life. 1 This appeared in the Critical Review for December 1758. In the subsequent number for January 1759, the reviewer takes an opportunity, as if answering a correspondent, to retract his objection against the word noiseless, because it is found in Shakspeare, but observes very fairly that the authority of Shakspeare or Milton will not justify an author of the present times for introducing harsh or antiquated words. He acknowledges himself likewise to blame in having omitted to consult the errata subjoined (prefixed) to Dr. Grainger's performance, where some things are corrected which the reviewer mentioned as inaccuracies in the body of the work. But this acknowledgment, so apparently candid, is immediately followed by a wretched attempt at wit, in these words: "Whereas one of the owls belonging to the proprietor of the M(on)thly Revie)w, which answers to the name of Grainger, hath suddenly broke from his mew, where he used to hoot in darkness and peace, and now screeches openly in the face of day, we shall take the first opportunity to chastise this troublesome owl, and drive him back to bis original obscurity." |