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Fordyce

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DAVID, an elegant and learned wri

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ing received the early part of his education at the grammar school, at the age of 13 he was entered at the Greek clafs in Marischal college, Aberdeen; in 1728 he took the degree of A. M. and was afterwards, in 1742, admitted profeffor of philofophy in the fame college. He was originally defigned for the miniftry; to prepare himself for which was the whole object of his ambition,' and for a courfe of years the whole purpofe of his ftudies. How well he was qualified to appear in that character, appears from his "Theodorus, a dialogue concerning the art of preaching." Having finished this work, he went abroad in 1750 on his travels, in order to obtain fresh ftores of knowledge: but after a fuccefsful tour through feveral parts of Europe, he was, on his return home, unfortunately caft way in a storm on the coaft of Holland, in the 41st year of his age. Befides the above work, he wrote Dialogues on Education, 8vo, and a Treatife of Moral Philofophy, publifhed in the Preceptor. The third edition of his Theodorus was published in London, in 1751, after his death, by his brother James, the fubject of the following ar

ticle.

FORDYCE, James, a Scotch divine, justly esteemed for his piety and ingenuity, as well as for his pulpit eloquence, was born at Aberdeen in the year 1720. He received his claffical education at the public grammar fchool, and went afterwards to the Marifchal college, where he went through the ufual course of studies neceffary for a minister of the gospel. His natural abilities were excellent, and he improved to the utmost the favourable opportunities he enjoyed at the univerfity, which made him be confidered as well qualified for a preacher of the gospel at an early period of life. His first appointment was that of fecond minifter in the church of Brechin in the county of Angus, after which he accepted of a call to Alloa near Stirling. The people of that parish were prepoffeffed in favour of another, and prejudiced against Mr Fordyce, which could not fail to be a moft unpleafant circumftance; yet by his impreffive delivery, and indefatigable attention to every part of his minifterial duty, he foon changed their prejudice into efteem, and their efteem into admiration.

During his refidence at Alloa, he drew on him the notice of the public by three excellent fermons; the first on the eloquence of the pulpit, the fecond on the method of promoting edification by public inftitutions, and VOL. IX. Part I.

ftill greater wonder and aftonishment were excited by his inimitable fermon on the folly, infamy, and mifery of unlawful pleasure, preached before the general affembly of the church of Scotland in 1760. It contains fuch masterly compofition with refpect to defcription, fpirit, and elegance, and was delivered with fuch uncommon folemnity, animation, and pathos, that it filled his learned fathers and brethren with astonishment, and justly raised him to unrivalled eminence among his clerical cotemporaries. About this time he was complimented with the degree of doctor in divinity by the univerfity of Glasgow, probably on account of the fame he acquired by this extraordinary fermon.

The friends of Dr Fordyce being moftly in London, he was invited to that metropolis to be the colleague of Dr Lawrence, minister of a refpectable congregation in Monkwell-ftreet, on whofe death, which happened a few months after, Dr Fordyce became once more famous for his pulpit eloquence, always preaching to overflowing audiences. This popularity he justly de ferved, whether with refpect to the elegance of his compofitions, or their happy tendency to imprefs the heart with the love of virtue and religion. Yet even Dr Fordyce lived to fee his popularity on the decline; for fuch as attend a place of worship from mere motives of curiofity must have fickle and unstable minds, changing their preachers as they do their drefs, loving to be where others are, of doing what others do, and of admiring what others admire, for they have no tafte of their own.

His pews were thinned from another caufe, which was the failure of a younger brother, an extensive banker, which ruined many of the doctor's conftant hearers and moft liberal fupporters. Although the doctor could not be reasonably blamed for the failure of his brother, yet it is certain that it brought a degree of odium on the whole family. Another caufe of the di minution of his hearers was an unhappy difference between him and Mr Toller his colleague, which happened in the year 1755, and which ended in a divifion of the congregation, many refpectable families following Mr Toller to another place of worship. Soon after this he declined officiating as a minister, the declining state of his health rendering fuch a ftep neceffary. The beft fpecimen of pulpit eloquence which perhaps ever came from his pen, was delivered at the ordinaA

tion