Grampian Club > Monuments and monumental inscriptions in Scotland > Volume 1

466 LANARKSHIRE.
Church he entered Glasgow College. In that seat of learning
he became Professor of Mathematics in his twenty-fourth year.
His edition of the "Elements of Euclid," published in 1750, widely
extended his reputation. Other works on the higher mathematics
proceeded from his pen. He died on the 1st December, 1768,
bequeathing to the university his mathematical books and MSS.
His monumental tablet is inscribed as follows : —
" H. S. E.
" Eobertvs Simson, matheseos in academia Glasgvensi per annos
LVIII. professor prisca morvm simplicitate simvl atqve probitate
insignis omniqve doctrina excvltvs vetervm grEecorum geometriam
p?r annos bis miile fere deperditam, in pristinvm splendorem
restitvit vnvs. Monvmentvm qvidem perenne sibi geometricis svis
operibvs ipsi exegit marmor avtem hoc cadvcvm reliqvis egregii
viri moi-talibvs sacrvm posveri testamenti cvratores Jac. Clow,
Gvl. Eouet, loa, Bvchanan jvnior. Obiit ipsis kalendis Octobris
anno m'&i Christians MDCCLXVIII., atatis LXXXI."
A monument celebrates Dr. Thomas Reid, the eminent philo-
sopher. He was born in the manse of Strachan, Kincardineshire,
on the 26th April, 1710 — his father being minister of the parish.
At Marischal College, Aberdeen, he highly distinguished himself,
especially by his attainments as a mathematician. After ministering
at New Machar, Aberdeenshire, for fifteen years, he was appointed
Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College, Aberdeen, in 1752.
His "Inquiry into the Human Mind" appeared in 1764, and at once
brought him high reputation as a philosopher. Soon after he
received D.D. from the University of Aberdeen, and was elected
Professor of Moral Philosophy in Glasgow College. In 1781 he
withdrew from his public duties that he might entirely devote
himself to philosophical investigation. In 1785 he published his
"Essays on the Intellectual Powers." His other philosophical
works appeared subsequently. He died on the 7th October, 1796,
in his eighty-sixth year. His tombstone is thus inscribed : —
"Memorise sacrum Thomge Eeid. S. T. P., quondam in schola
regia Aberdoniensi, philosophise professoris, nuper vero, in uni-
versitate Glasguensi, ab anno 1764, usque ad annum 1796, philo-