Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished Scotsman, Forming a Complete Scottish Biographic Dictionary (Volume 4); Embellished with Splendid and Authentic Portraits. Verstehendes Exemplar Kam Im Juli 1859 an Der Stelle Das Fra1/4her Hier Stehender U AB. D. Tit (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1841. Excerpt: ... I the first place, to the improvement of his estate; it would be time enough then to resume their plan. Mr Taylor, whose charge over Mr Miller's children had dropped for some time, now entered into an engagement with the earl of Dumfries, to superintend the workings of coal, lime, and other minerals on that nobleman's estate; reserving to himself a liberty to attend on Mr Miller, whenever he should be inclined to proceed with their common project. After the lapse of two years, receiving no invitation from Dalswinton, he paid Mr Miller a visit there, and found him completely engrossed in some agricultural experiments, which, with the proper enthusiasm of an active mind, he conceived for the time to be paramount to all others of every kind. Neither on this, nor any future visit, could Mr Taylor prevail on his former patron to resume their project: the cultivation of fiorine grass at last took such hold of the mind of Mr Miller, that, in the belief of Mr Taylor, no other object on earth could have withdrawn him from it. In the year 1790, while the fame of the experiments was still fresh in the public mind, Mr Taylor had some hope of introducing his invention with advantage on the continent. Mr Fergusson, younger of Craigdarroch, in writing to his father from Paris, in the autumn of that year, had expressed his belief that Mr Taylor's scheme might be taken up in Germany, and threw out a series of queries for his own satisfaction as to its efficiency. On the 15th of August, Mr Taylor, then residing at Leadhills, received a letter from Mr Fergusson, senior, requesting him to come to Drumlanrig, (where Mr Fergusson then was, on a visit to the duke of Queensberry, ) in order to see his son's letter. Mr Taylor answered Mr Fergusson's queries in a letter dated Septe...