JAMES CRICHTON, Commonly known by the appellation of Born about 1560.-Died 1582. From 2d to 24th Elizabeth. THE almost miraculous qualities ascribed to the person long know by the name of the admirable Crichton, are so vague and extravagant, that the prodigious and unparalleled talents which he actually possessed have in consequence been brought into dispute; and if the concurring testimony of contemporaries did not corroborate and establish his fame, his very existence might in time become questionable. A display of such endowments, according to their most moderate estimate, cannot fail to have a powerful effect on the generous minds of every youthful reader, when he thus sees what is attainable by man. The time of the birth of this human prodigy has been variously related, but by the best authorities it is dated at the year 1560. His father soon after became lord-advocate of Scotland, and his mother was lineally descended from the royal family of that country; so that Crichton, in the subsequent scenes of his life, did not boast without reason of his high extraction. He is said to have received his grammatical learn-` ing at Perth; but Aldus Manutius, who afterwards became intimately acquainted with him, asserts, that he studied under Buchanan and other preceptors of James the First, along with that monarch. That the best masters in every branch of learning fell to the lot of Crichton, may well be supposed from his proficiency; and it is absolutely impossible that he could have imbibed all his various knowledge from ‹ ny one man of the age in which he lived, however strong the natural force of his genius may have been. But Rutherford, at that time a famous professor at St. Andrew's, had the honour of being his tutor at that university; and derives much greater renown from having formed such a scholar, than from his once famous writings on Aristotle, which are now obsolete and useless. Before Crichton reached his twentieth year, he had run through the whole circle of the sciences, and was a master of ten languages; which, from his vast memory, were as familiar to him as his mother-tongue. Nor was his fame confined merely to literary excellence he seemed to combine the most discordant qualities, and was without a rival in all corporeal exercises. It is recorded of him, that in fencing he could spring at one bound the length of twenty feet on his antagonist, and could use the sword in each hand with equal dexterity. He had also a fine voice, and great skill in playing on musical instruments. His person and countenance were alike eminently beautiful, which served to set off all his other accomplishments; for even virtue never fails to be still more acceptable in a graceful form. Thus qualified, he set out on his travels; fully sensible of his stupendous acquirements, and fired with. an ambition to display them. Having reached Paris, he affixed a kind of challenge on the gate of one of the colleges, inviting the learned of that university to a disputation on a certain day; giving his opponents, whoever they might be, the choice of ten languages, and of all the sciences. After such a bold and novel step for a youth still in his minority, it might have been supposed that he would have devoted the interval to refresh his memory at least, and prepare himself against every advantage that could reasonably be taken of his unguarded pro vocation. But the reverse appears to have been the fact. He gave himself wholly up to pleasure, or public manly exercises. He engaged in every diversion and in every dissipation with ardour; and became so contemptible in the eyes of the students of the university, that beneath his own notice they caused to be written, "that the most likely place in which to find this monster of perfection would be the tavern." But Crichton soon redeemed his character, and covered his detracters with confusion. On the appointed day he attended in presence of three thousand auditors; and after a disputation of nine hours against four doctors of the church and fifty masters, he silenced his antagonists, and was presented with a diamond and a purse of gold amidst the loudest acclamations. Every passion that had agitated the university, was now converted to admiration; and one of his opponents is said to have confessed that Crichton, who now obtained the epithet of the admirable," gave proofs of knowledge almost supernatural; and that a hundred years spent in an incessant application to study, would not be sufficient for such attainments. It is further added, that so little was the youthful champion fatigued with the dispute, that the next day he attended a tiltingmatch at the Louvre, where in presence of the court of France he bore away the ring fifteen times successively. . 3 66 The next account of Crichton places him at Rome, where he fixed a notice on all the most public places throughout the city, intimating that he would discuss or answer any proposition or matter whatever extemporaneously. In a city so famous for scholastic learning, a challenge bearing such apparent marks of presumption could not escape satire. He was considered a literary empiric, and (as before at Paris) the place of his residence was signified to such as wished as to see his exhibitions: but Crichton, not at all daunted, entered the lists, and in the presence of the pope and cardinals bore away the palm of victory. On leaving Rome he directed his course to Venice; and from some Latin lines still extant which be composed on this occasion, it seems that, notwithstanding all the reputation which he had acquired, he was either distressed in mind, or laboured under some pecuniary embarrassment. Having, however, introduced himself to Aldus Manutius, who was amazed by his extraor dinary endowments, he was brought acquainted, by means of this distinguished scholar, with the literati of that city, and afterwards had the honour to attract the notice of the doge and senate; before whom he pronounced an unpremeditated complimentary oration with such dignified oratory and force of eloquence, that he received the thanks of that illustrious body, and was universally considered as a prodigy. From Venice he repaired to Padua, the university of which place was at that time in the highest reputation. Here he engaged in another disputation, beginning with an extemporary poem in praise of the place and his auditors; and after disputing six hours with the most celebrated professors, whom he foiled on every subject which they started, he concluded, to the astonishment of every hearer, with an unpremeditated poem in commendation of ignorance. Amidst all his literary conquests, he continued his pursuit of pleasure with the same eagerness as if it had been his sole study. So contradictory were his merits, and such was the versatility of his talents, that he became the subject of envy as much as admiration. Few were willing to allow one man to carry away so many prizes; and in proportion to his fame, the opposition of his revilers increased. Crichton was not insensible of this and to silence at once the invidious detracters of his talents, he caused a paper to be posted up in which he offered to prove that there were innumerable errors in the works of Aristotle, and gross ignorance in his interpreters; at the same time that he was ready to dispute in all the sciences, to answer any questions, and to repel any objections, either by logic, or a hundred kinds of verse, or by analytical investigations and mathematical figures. This contest he maintained for three days; and conducted himself with such spirit and energy, and so completely vanquished his opponents, that he obtained the loudest plaudits. The literary fame of the admirable Crichton by this time had spread over the remotest parts of Italy; and when he came to Mantua, he had an opportunity of signalizing himself by a feat of arms. A prize-fighter who had defeated the most celebrated masters in Europe, had fixed his residence for a time in Mantua, and had killed three persons who had entered the lists against him. The duke of that place therefore began to regret that he had granted his protection to this li censed murderer: which, reaching the ears of Crich-ton, he was fired with the ambition of ridding the world of such a sanguinary monster; and offered to stake fifteen hundred pistoles, and to mount the stage against him. With some reluctance the duke consented; and every thing being prepared, this single combat was exhibited before the assembled court, and an immense concourse of spectators. Their weapon was the single rapier, then newly introduced into Italy. The prize-fighter advanced with great impetuosity; while Crichton contented himself with parrying his thrusts, and suffered him to exhaust his own vigour, before he himself attempted to charge. At last, watching his opportunity, Crichton became the as |