increased tyranny of her behaviour, she continued to have a few followers in
1791, when she approached her last scene. Among these was her first apostle, Mr Whyte. Finding- that she was about to go the way of all the earth, she called her disciples together, and exhorted them to continue steadfast and unanimous in their adherence to the doctrine which they had received from her. She told them she had one secret to communicate a last desperate effort at imposition that she was in reality the Virgin Mary, and mother of our Lord; that
she was the same woman mentioned in the Revelations as being clothed with the
sun, and who was driven into the wilderness; that she had been wandering in
the world ever since our Saviour's days, and only for some time past had sojourned in Scotland: that though she might appear to die, they needed not be
discouraged, for she would only sleep a little, and in a short time would visit
them again, and conduct them to the new Jerusalem. After her death, which
took place, May 1791, it was a long time before her votaries would straighten
or dress the corpse; nor would they coffin her, until obliged by the smell; and
after that they would not bury her, but built up the coffin in a corner of the
barn, always expecting that she would rise again from the dead, according to her
promise. At last, the neighbouring country people, shocked with these proceedings, went to a justice of peace, and got an order that she should be buried; so that the famous Mrs Buchan was at length reduced to a level with all the dead
generations of her kind.
BUCHAN, WILLIAM, M. D. a popular medical writer of great celebrity, was born in 1729, at Ancrum in Roxburghshire. His grandfather had been obliged, for some time, to reside with his family in Holland, on account of the religious troubles which preceded the Revolution. His father possessed a small estate, in addition to which he rented a farm from the Duke of Roxburgh. His genius for medicine was displayed before he could have received any adequate instruction ; and even when a school-boy, he was at once the physician and surgeon of the village. Nevertheless, being' destined by his friends for the church, he repaired to Edinburgh, to study divinity. At the university he spent the unusual time of nine years, studying anything rather than theology. At this period of his life, mathematics and botany were among his favourite pursuits. Finally, he devoted himself wholly to medicine. He enjoyed, at this time, the friendship of the illustrious Gregory, whose liberal maxims are believed to have had great influence over his future life. Before taking his degree, he was induced, by the invitation of a fellow-student, to settle in practice for some time in Yorkshire. While established in that district, he became a candidate for the situation of Physician to the Foundling Hospital, then supported by parliament at Ackworth, and, after a fair trial of skill with ten professional men, was successful. In this situation he laid the foundation of that knowledge of the diseases of children, which afterwards appeared so conspicuous in his writings. Having returned to Edinburgh to take out his degree, he became acquainted with a well-connected lady of the name of *Peter, whom he soon after married. He continued to be Physician to the Ackworth Foundling Hospital, till parliament, becoming convinced of the bad effects of such an institution, withdrew the annual grant of sixty thousand pounds, upon which it had hitherto been supported. He then moved to Sheffield, where for some time he enjoyed extensive practice. He appears to have spent the years between 1762 and 1766, in this town. He then commenced practice at Edinburgh, and for several years was very well employed, though it was allowed that he might have enjoyed much more business, if his convivial habits had not distracted so much of his attention. He was not, however, anxious for an extensive practice. Having for a considerable time directed his attention to a digest of popular medical knowledge, he published, in
