— BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY EMINENT MEN OF FIFE ADA of the Moral Feelings," published in 1833. In these works he has brought all the medical facts accumulated in the course of ABERCROMBIE, John, M.D., an his extensive experience and research to eminent physician and able author, was bear on various moral and metaphysical bom in Aberdeen on the 12th of October questions. In particular, he threw consider- 1780. His father, the Rev. George able light on the subject of dreams and Abercrombie, was minister of the East mental illusions, from which he drew his Parish Church in that city. His literary theory of a double consciousness. Dr education was received first at the Gram- Abercrombie was held in great and de- mar School of Aberdeen, and afterwards at served estimation by his contemporaries Marischal College and University, where in a measure beyond what might be he studied for four years, and took the imagined by readers of his writings. His degree of A.M. He studied medicine at active beneficence, guided by uncommon the University of £dinl)ur<:;h, taking his sagacity, prudence, earnestness, and Chris- degree of M. D. in 1803, and soon obtained tian zeal, although never obtrusive, was an extensive and lucrative practice in the recognised as his distinguishing character- Scottish metropolis as a physician. In istic. He was much beloved, as well as 1808 he married Agnes, daughter of David greatly honoured. Dr Abercrombie died Wardlaw, Esq. of Netherbeath, in fife- suddenly at Edinburgh on the 14th Novem- shire, by whom he had a numerous family. ber 1844. it is as the son-in-law of a fife proprietor ADAM, William, Right Honourable that Dr Abercrombie's name finds a place Lord Chief Commissioner of the Jury in this work. On the death of Dr Gregory Court, the son of John Adam of Blair- in 1821, Dr Abercrombie was appointed Adam, was born on the 21st of July 1751. physician to the King for Scotland. He He was educated at Edinburgh, Glasgow, was a fellow of the Royal Colleges of and Oxford ; and in 1773 was admitted a Phj^sicians and Surgeons, Edinburgh, and member of the Faculty of Advocates, a vice-president of the Royal Society of but never practised at the Scottish bar. In that city. In 1834 the University of 1774 he was chosen M.P. for Gatton, in Oxford conferred on him the honorary 1780 for Stranraer, &c. , in 1784 for the Elgin degree of M.D., and in the following year burghs, and in 1790 for Ross-shire. At he was chosen Lord Rector of Marischal the close of Lord North's Administration in College in his native city. In 1837 he was 1782 he became barrister-at-law in England. confirmed in the appointment of first phy- In 1794 he retired from Parliament to sician to the Queen in Scotland. But the devote himself to his profession. In 1802 writings of Dr Abercrombie contributed he was appointed Counsel for the East no less than his skill as a physician to the India Company, and in 1806 Chancellor maintenance of his fame. His purely pro- of the Duchy of Cornwall. In the same fessional works procured for him a high year he was returned M.P. for Kincar- place among the modem cultivators of dineshire, and in 1807, being elected both science ; but the most permanent monu- for that coimty and for Kiuross-shire, he ment to his memory are his "Inquiries preferred to sit for the former ; in 1811 he Concerning the Intellectual Powers," &c., again vacated his seat for his professional published in 1830, and the " Philosophy duties. Being now esteemed a sound lawyer, ADA FIFESHIRE BIOGRAPHY. ADA his practice increased, and he was consulted Mr Adam bore a warm part in Lord Howe's by the Prince of Wale-s the Duke of York, action, 1st June 1794. He appears to have and many of the nobility. In the course been then successively transferred to the of his parliamentary career, in consequence Barfleur, 98, and Monarch, 74, bearing of somethiufj that occurred in a discussion each the flag of his relative, the Hon. Sir during first the American war, he fought a G. K. Elphinstone, whose official approba- duel with the late Mr Fox, wliich happily tion he elicited for his signal services as ended without bloodslied, and gave occa- acting-lieutenant in command of the Squib sion to a joke by tlie latter—that had his gun-brig at the carrying of the important antagonist not loaded his pistol with Oorern- pass of Maysenbergh during the opera- ment po«,ler he (Fox) would have been tions which led to the surrender of the Cape shot. In 1814 he submitted to Government of Good Hope in 1795. In October of the the plan for trying civil causes by jury in latter year, being appointed acting-lieu- Scotland. In 1815 he was made a privy tenant of the Victorious, 74 (Captain Wm. councillor, and w;is appointed one of the Clark), he proceeded to the East Indies, barons of the Scottish Exchequer, chiefly and on 9th September 1796 iiarticipated, in with the view of enabling him to introduce company with the Arrogant, 74, in a long and establish the new system of trial by conflict of nearly four hours with six heavy jury. In 1816 an Act of Parhament was French frigates, under M. Sercey, which obtained, instituting a separate Jury Court tei-minated in the separation of the com- in Scotland, in which he was appointed batants after each had been much crippled, Lord Chief Commissioner, with two of the and the Victorious had suffered a loss of judges of the Court of Session as his col- 17 men killed, and 57, including her captain, leagues. He accordingly relinquished his wounded. Mr Adam, whom we subsequently situation in the Exchequer, and continued find offieiathig as acting-commander and to a|iply his energies to the duties of the captain from August 1796 to August 1797 Jury Court, overcoming by his patience, of the Swift sloop and Carysfort frigate, zeal, and urbanity, the many obstacles was at length, on his return to England in opposed to the success of an institution alto- the Polyphemus, 64 (Capt. Geo. Lumsdaine), g sther new to our Scotch practice. In 1830, confirmed to a lieutenancy, 8th February wien sufficiently organised, the Jury Court 1798, in his old shiji, the Barfleur, Captain was, by another act, transferred to the James Richard Dacres. On 16th May fol- Court of Session. On taking his seat on lowing he obtained official command of the the bench of the latter for the first time, Falcfjn, fire-ship, but was soon afterwards addresses were presented to him from the transferred to the Albatross, 18, and ordered Faculty of Advocates, the Society of with despatches to the Cape of Goed Ho])e, Writers to the Signet, and the Solicitors whence he ultimately accompanied an ex- before the Supreme Courts, thanking him peilition sent to the Red Sea, for the purpose for the important benefits which the intro- of intercepting the French in their medi- duction of trial by jury in civil cases had tated descent upon India. Having been conferred on the country. In 1833 he re- advanced to the command, 12th June 1799, tired from the bench ; and died at his house of La Sybille, of 48 guns and 300 men. in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, aged 87. Captain Adam, while in that ship, assisted He married early in life a sister of the late at the capture and destruction, 23d August Lord Elphinstone, and had a family of seve- 1800, of 5 Dutch armed vessels and 22 ral sons—viz., John, long at the head of the merchantmen in Batavia Roads ; made prize Council in India, who died some years before in October following of 24 Dutch proas, him; Admiral Sir Charles Adam, M.P. ; four of which mounted 6 guns each ; on William George, an eminent king's counsel, 19th August 1801, off Mah^, the prmcipal afterwards Accountant-General in the Court of the Saychelle Islauds, he took, with the of Chancery, who died 16th May 1839, three loss only of two men killed, and a midship- month's his after father ; Lieutenant-Gene- man slightly wounded, after a gallant ral Sir Frederick, who held a command at action of twenty minutes amidst rocks and Waterloo, afterwai-ds High Commissioner shoals, and under fire from a battery on of the Ionian Islands, and subsequently shore, the French frigate La Chiffone, of Governor of Madras ; and a younger son, 42 guns and 296 men, of whom 23 were who died abroad. killed anil iill wnunded. On arriving with ADAM, Sir Ch.ikles, K.C.B., Vice- his ti.i|iliy at Madras he was presented by A dmiral of the Red, born on the 6th October the hisiuaiae (.'.impanyat that place with 1780, was the second son of the subject of an ek'L,^;ait swi.rd, valued at 200 guineas; the preceding sketch. This ofBcer entered anil the merchants at Calcutta also sub- the navy 1.5th December 1790, on board the scnbed for liim a sword and a iiiece of Royal Charlotte yacht. Captain Sir Hyde plate. Having at length returned to Parker, lying at Deptford ; and on removing England and lieen appointed to the com- in 1793 to the Robust, 74, commanded by mand, 23d May 1S03, of La Chiff'one, which his uncle, the Hon. George Keith Elphin- had been added to the navy as a 36-gun stone, was present as midshipman at the frigate.