Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 2.djvu/564

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Macmillan
544
McNair

on George Frederick Watts, R.A. ('Temple Biographies' series), posthumously published in 1903.

He died at his residence in Edinburgh on 24 May 1903, and was buried in the Dean cemetery. He married on 14 June 1859 Jane, second daughter of William Patison of Williamfield, near Edinburgh. She survived him with one son and five daughters.

Besides the works cited, Macmillan published the following, chiefly dealing with the relations of religion and science, and characterised by beauty of thought and diction, and by devotional feeling: 1. 'The True Vine, or the Analogies of our Lord's Allegory,' 1871; 5th edit. 1883. 2. 'The Garden and the City, with other Contrasts and Parallels of Scripture,' 1872; 2nd edit. 1873. 3. 'Sun Glints in the Wilderness,' 1872. 4. 'The Sabbath of the Fields, being a Sequel to Bible Teachings in Nature,' 1876; 6th edit. 1889. 5. 'Our Lord's Three Raisings from the Dead,' 1876. 6. 'Two Worlds are Ours,' 1880; 4th edit. 1889. 7. 'The Marriage in Cana of Galilee,' 1882. 8. 'The Riviera' (one of the best books on the subject), 1885; 3rd edit. 1902. 9. 'The Olive Leaf,' 1886. 10. 'Roman Mosaics, or Studies in Rome and its Neighbourhood,' 1888; 2nd edit, 1892. 11. 'The Gate Beautiful and Other Bible Teachings for the Young,' 1891. 12. 'My Comfort in Sorrow,' 1891. 13. 'The Mystery of Grace and Other Sermons,' 1893. 14. 'The Daisies of Nazareth,' 1894; 2nd edit. 1901. 15. 'The Clock of Nature,' 1896. 16. 'The Spring of the Day,' 1898. 17. 'Gleanings in Holy Fields' (the outcome of a visit to Palestine), 1899. 18. 'The Corn of Heaven,' 1901. 19. 'The Christmas Rose, and Other Thoughts in Verse,' 1901. 20. 'The Highland Tay from Tyndrum to Dunkeld,' 1901. 21. 'The Poetry of Plants,' 1902. The following were posthumously published: 'The Touch of God and Other Sermons' ('World's Pulpit' series 1903); 'Rothiemurchus,' a fascinating account of a picturesque Highland neighbourhood (1907); and 'The Isles and the Gospel and other Bible Studies' (1907). Macmillan was also a voluminous contributor to scientific and religious periodicals.

[Memoir by George A. Macmillan, prefixed to The Isles and the Gospel and other Bible Studies, 1907; Sunday Magazine, 1897, p. 374; In Memoriam: Hugh Macmillan, (printed for use of members of West United Free church, Greenock); Scotsman, and Glasgow Herald, 25 May 1903; private information.]

W. F. G.


McNAIR, JOHN FREDERICK ADOLPHUS (1828–1910), Indian and colonial official, born at Bath on 23 Oct. 1828, was eldest son of Major Robert McNair, staff officer, London. After education at King's College, London, and at the School of Mines, he entered the Madras (royal) artillery in 1845, was promoted captain in 1858 and major (retired) in 1870. He was employed with his battery in India until 1850. In 1853 he proceeded to the Straits Settlements and served at Malacca and in Labuan. After qualifying in the Hindustani and Malay languages he was appointed in 1856 staff officer and subsequently adjutant of artillery for the Straits district. After serving during 1857 as A.D.C. and private secretary to the governor, E. A. Blundell, he became executive engineer and superintendent of convicts at Singapore. He received the approval of the governor-general of India, Sir John (afterwards Lord) Lawrence, in council on the completion of the military works at the latter place, and the government of Netherlands India thanked him for services in connection with the introduction into Java of the Straits system of prison discipline.

From 1865 to 1867 McNair was in England as deputy governor and in charge of public works at Woking prison. In 1867, when the administration of the Straits Settlements was transferred from the Indian to the colonial department, he returned to Singapore as colonial engineer and controller of convicts and member of the legislative council of the colony (14 Feb.). He was colonial secretary during 1868, a member of the executive council from 1869, and colonial engineer and surveyor-general from 1873. In Feb. 1881 he was transferred to Penang as acting lieutenant-governor and resident councillor of that province. He retired on a pension on 10 Aug. 1884. McNair meanwhile was officially employed on important missions to Siam in 1868, 1874, 1875, and 1878. In 1875-6 he was officiating chief commissioner in Perak during the disturbances in that state, and took part in the affair of Kotah Lamah on the Perak river, for which he received the medal and clasp. He was special commissioner to Selangor to inquire into piracy, and to Perak in connection with the Pangkor treaty in 1874. McNair was made C.M.G. on 24 May 1878.

After his retirement McNair occupied his time principally in writing. He had already issued in 1878 'Perak and the Malays,' a descriptive account of the