to the first, and upon it the chief claim of the "Bibliotheca" to novelty and
value rests; for it lays before the reader at a glance, a chronological list of all
the works that have been published on any particular subject that he may wish
to consult, with references to their respective authors, or with the publisher's
name, if anonymous. While, in short, the first part forms a full and comprehensive catalogue of authors and their works, the second forms an equally complete and extensive encyclopedia of all manner of subjects on which books
have been written. The utility of such a work, to the student and author in
particular, must be obvious; for, with the facility with which he can ascertain
in a dictionary the meaning of a word, can he here ascertain all that has been
written on any branch of human knowledge. Whatever may be its omissions
and inaccuracies, (and these were unavoidable in a compilation so extensive,)
the plan of the work, we apprehend, cannot be improved; and, amid the
numerous and laborious methods that have been offered to the public, for arranging libraries and catalogues, we are ignorant of any system that could be
adopted, with greater advantage, both as to conveniency and completeness of
reference, without at the same time affect ing the elegant disposal of the books
upon the shelves, than the one upon which the "Bibliotheca Britannica" is founded.
Dr Watt married, while in Paisley, Miss Burns, the daughter of a farmer in his father's neighbourhood, by whom he had nine children. At his death, the publication of the"" Bibliotheca" devolved upon his two eldest sons, who devoted themselves to its completion with filial enthusiasm. They were both young men of the most promising abilities; and it is to be feared that their lives were shortened by the assiduity with which they applied themselves to the important charge that was so prematurely laid upon them. John, the elder of the two, died in 1821, at the early age of twenty; James, his brother, lived to see the work completed, but died in 1829, leaving behind him the deep regrets of all who knew and could appreciate his high character and brilliant talents.
The printing of the "Bibliotheca" was completed in 1824, in four large quarto volumes. The first division or portion of it was printed in Glasgow, and the second in Edinburgh. Messrs Archibald Constable and Company, of Edinburgh, purchased the whole for about 2,000, giving bills to that amount, but before any of the bills were honoured, the house failed, and thus the family of Dr Watt was prevented from receiving any benefit from a work to which so many sacrifices had been made, and upon which all their hopes depended.[1]
WAUGH, (Dr) Alexander, an eminent divine of the United Secession church, was born on the 16th August, 1754, at East Gordon, in the parish of Gordon, Berwickshire, where his father followed the occupation of a farmer.
The subject of this memoir, who was devoted by his parents from his infancy to the church, was put to the parish school of Gordon, at which he
- ↑ In connexion with the misfortunes attendant upon the work, we may mention here, in A note one, fortunately in this country, of singular occurrence. Not long after Dr Watt's death, his country-house was broken into, in the middle of the night, by a band of ruffians, disguised with blackened faces, and armed with guns, swords, &c. While one party held their fire-arms over the unhappy inmates, another ransacked the house, and packed up everything valuable of a portable nature, which they carried off, and which were never recovered They even took the rings from Mrs Watt's fingers. Among their ravages, they unfortunately laid their hands on a portion of the unprinted MS. of the "Bibliotheca," which they thrust into the fire, with the purpose of lighting the apartment. It took nearly a year's labour to remedy the destruction of this MS. Four of the robbers were afterwards taken, and executed for the crime at Glasgow, in 1820.
