SIR JOHN MOORE was born at Glasgow on the 13th of November, 1761, and, in consequence of the death of two other sons in early life, became the eldest. Their father, Dr. Moore, a physician and moral writer, was the only son of the Reverend Charles Moore, minister of Stirling; whose father was an officer who served in the wars of King William III.: and the family by tradition was considered to be a younger branch of the Moores, or Mures, of Ruellan, which lineage, however, cannot be traced. Doctor Moore's mother was the eldest daughter of John Anderson, Laird of Dovehill, and of Marian Hay. This lady, entitled, ac VOL. I. B cording to the usage of that time, the Lady Dovehill, was a reputed descendant of the Earls of Kinnoul. The Andersons of Dovehill are an ancient race, whose estate has been sold, reserving the feudal superiorities, which descended to Sir John Moore, and since to his brother. The doctor married a daughter of Professor Simson of the university of Glasgow, who was niece of Robert Simson the celebrated geometrician. John Moore, who is now to be considered, was entered at the high school of Glasgow; and Thomas Monro, afterwards so distinguished in India, was one of his schoolfellows. In his boyish days he was fiery and untractable, which faults were gradually suppressed by paternal reproofs, and by his own masculine understanding; so that he acquired a complete command of temper, and a mild disposition. His figure was tall, and graceful, his features were regular, his eyes hazel, hair brown, and the expression of his countenance cheerful and benign. In the year 1772, Dr. Moore was engaged to take charge of Douglas, Duke of Hamilton, during a tour and residence on the Continent of Europe; and John, at eleven years of age, was taken with them. They had hardly reached Paris, when a mischance occurred, which might have had serious consequences. John, having been left alone, began, with childish curiosity, to examine the locks of a pair of loaded pistols. Being ignorant of their mechanism, he accidentally snapt one of them; the ball pierced through the wainscot, and wounded a maid-servant in the adjoining chamber, who screamed aloud. The doctor, alarmed, ran in, but found his son safe, and the servant's hurt very slight. John was deeply affected at having so nearly killed this poor girl; and his father observed, that he was thenceforth less heedless. Not long after this, the Duke of Hamilton, though five years older, played a similar prank. It was the custom of the times to wear swords, and the duke happened to have on a small hanger. In an idle humour he drew it, and began to amuse himself by fencing at young Moore; and laughed as he forced |