which, with its grounds, became a very valuable property. On the death of his cousin, Mr. Alexander Crombie, advocate in Aberdeen, he succeeded by his bequest to the estate of Phesdo, in the parish of Fordoun, Kincardineshire, where he spent the last few years of his life. He died in 1840. The family is now represented by his grandson, Mr. Alexander Crombie, Thornton Castle, near Laurencekirk.
In the ‘Times’ of 16 June 1840 there appeared an anonymous account of Crombie, written by an old friend, John Grant, M.A., Crouch End. The writer speaks in the strongest terms of his inflexible integrity and intellectual acuteness. He says that Crombie was well known as a scholar and critic; that he had been an early friend of Priestley, Price, and Geddes; and that, while sympathising with their liberalism, he was a ‘sound christian divine and a hearty despiser of the cant of spurious liberalism.’ When noticing Crombie's death in the annual address to the Royal Society of Literature, Lord Ripon dwelt upon his excellence as a teacher, and as a composer of educational works, especially the ‘Gymnasium.’
His works are: 1. ‘A Defence of Philosophic Necessity,’ 1793. 2. ‘The Etymology and Syntax of the English Language Explained,’ 1802 (other editions 1809, 1829, 1836). 3. ‘Gymnasium sive Symbola Critica,’ intended to assist the classical student in his endeavours to attain a correct Latin prose style, 2 vols. 1812; 5th edition 1834, abridged 1836. 4. ‘Letters on the present state of the Agricultural Interest,’ 1816. 5. A Letter to D. Ricardo, esq., containing an analysis of his pamphlet on the depreciation of bank notes, 1817. 6. Cursory observations in reply to the ‘Strictures’ of Rev. Mr. Gilchrist (on book No. 2), 1817. 7. ‘Letters from Dr. James Gregory of Edinburgh in defence of his Essay on the difference of the relation between motion and action and that of cause and effect in physic, with replies by Rev. A. Crombie, LL.D.,’ 1819. 8. ‘Clavis Gymnasii, sive Exercitationes in Symbolam Criticam,’ 1828. 9. ‘Natural Theology, or Essays on the Existence of Deity and Providence, on the Immortality of the Soul, and a Future State,’ 1829, 2 vols. 10. ‘Letter to Lieut.-col. Torrens, M.P., in answer to his address to the farmers of the United Kingdom,’ 1832. 11. ‘The Strike, or a Dialogue between John Treadle and Andrew Ploughman,’ 1834. 12. Pamphlet on the Ballot; also several other pamphlets published anonymously; articles in the ‘Analytical Review;’ and one article, or more, in the ‘Edinburgh Review.’ Crombie had three sons; the oldest of these, whose name was also Alexander, succeeded him as proprietor of the estate of Phesdo, and was in turn in 1877 succeeded by his son, the present proprietor.
[Times, 16 June 1840; copy of the notice in Gent. Mag. for 1842, corrected by Crombie's son, affixed to a copy of the Gymnasium in the possession of Mr. Alexander Crombie of Thornton Castle; The Statistical Account of Scotland—parish of Fordoun; personal information.]
CROMBIE, JAMES, D.D. (1730–1790), presbyterian minister, eldest son of James Crambie (sic) by his wife May (Johnstoun), was born at Perth on 6 Dec. 1730. His father was a mason. In 1748 Crombie matriculated at St. Andrews, graduating A.M. in 1752. He studied for a short time at Edinburgh on leaving St. Andrews. He was licensed by Strathbogie presbytery on 8 June 1757 at Rothiemay. Here he acted as parish schoolmaster for some time. On 1 July 1760 he was presented to Lhanbryd, near Elgin, by the Earl of Moray, in whose family he had acted as tutor, and having been duly called was ordained at Lhanbryd on 11 Sept. by Elgin presbytery. He immediately applied to the Strathbogie presbytery to give ordination without charge to James Thompson, a licentiate, in order that Thompson might supply his place at Lhanbryd, and release Crombie for winter studies at Glasgow. The Strathbogie presbytery agreed, and Crombie spent the next four sessions at Glasgow, attending classes himself, and superintending the studies of his noble pupil. The minutes of the Elgin presbytery record a series of attempts to bring Crombie back to his duties at Lhanbryd, culminating in a formal censure on 1 March 1763. After this he seems to have remained quietly for some years in his country parish. In February 1768 a colleagueship in the first non-subscribing presbyterian congregation of Belfast became vacant. Doubtless on the recommendation of Principal Leechman of Glasgow, Crombie was put forward for the post. He received a call in December 1769 with a promised stipend of 80l., and 10l. for a house. He did not, however, desert his charge at Lhanbryd until 22 Oct. 1770, when he was already settled in Belfast as colleague to James Mackay. On Mackay's death (22 Jan. 1781) he became sole pastor. The congregation, which worshipped in a dilapidated meeting-house, was declining; Crombie met a suggestion for amalgamation with a neighbouring congregation by proposing the erection of a new meeting-house. This was carried into effect in 1783; Wesley, who preached in the new building in 1789, de-
