Although his chair was connected with a different branch of science, he continued to prosecute his old pursuits. The old red sandstone engaged a large share of his attention, and its fossils were the subject of several papers contributed to the scientific journals. But many other departments of natural science likewise engaged his attention and his pen.
From the nature of his pursuits Fleming had been little implicated in the discussions going on in the church and the country with reference to patronage. But he had always been in favour of the popular side. When the disruption occurred in 1843 he joined the free church. Sir David Brewster [q. v.] had done the same at St. Andrews, where the presbytery of the established church took steps with the intention of compelling him to conform to the church or to resign his office in the university. Fleming had every reason to believe that a similar course would be taken with reference to himself. Ultimately he agreed to accept a chair of natural science which Dr. Chalmers and others had deemed it desirable to establish in connection with the Free Church College at Edinburgh. His appointment to this chair in 1845 enabled him to devote his whole heart and time to the subjects with which he was most conversant. In undertaking to conduct such a class, mainly for divinity students, he acted on the conviction that a right knowledge of nature was fitted to be of great use to all engaged in pastoral duty; and that there was need at the present time of special steps to defend the Christian faith from what he regarded as theories ‘resting on foundations that it would take a powerful lens to discover.’ During his tenure of this chair, besides writing as usual for the scientific journals, he sent several important contributions to the ‘North British Review,’ started by his friend and colleague, Dr. Welsh; he published a popular work, ‘The Temperature of the Seasons’ (1851), forming the second volume of a series called ‘The Christian Athenæum,’ and he prepared for publication his latest work, published after his death, ‘The Lithology of Edinburgh’ (Edinburgh, 1859).
Fleming had a vein of sarcasm which he allowed to operate somewhat freely, and a way of hitting opponents which could not be very agreeable. But the genuine kindness and honesty of the man came to be appreciated even by those whom, like Buckland, he had once somewhat alienated. He died, after a short illness, on 18 Nov. 1857.
[Scott's Fasti, iv. 494, 697, v. 424; Fleming's Lithology of Edinburgh, with a Memoir by the Rev. John Duns; personal knowledge.]
FLEMING, Sir MALCOLM, Earl of Wigtown (d. 1360?), the son of Sir Malcolm Fleming of Cumbernauld, was, like his father, a staunch adherent of King Robert Bruce. He was appointed steward of the household to David, earl of Carrick, and continued to hold the office after the young prince [see Bruce, David, 1324–1371] succeeded to the throne. He was also bailie of Carrick, sheriff of Dumbarton, and keeper of the castle of Dumbarton, for which last-named office he had an annual salary of a hundred merks. He was engaged in the battle of Halidon in 1333, the loss of which by the Scots left their country at the mercy of Edward III, who quickly reduced it all to subjection, save four castles and an island peel, the principal of which was the castle of Dumbarton. Fleming had escaped from the battle-field, and hastening home, placed this castle in a position to hold out for any length of time. Hither, says Wyntoun, resorted all who yearned to live freely. Here too he kept safely David II and his queen, until the king of France sent means to convey them thence to France, whither Fleming accompanied them. On his return he received in the following year Robert, the steward of Scotland, afterwards Robert III, who had effected his escape from Rothesay. David II and his consort returned from France to Scotland on 4 May 1341, and the loyalty of Fleming was rewarded on 9 Nov. following by a royal charter, dated at Ayr, granting him and his heirs male the sheriffdom of Wigtown and other lands, and creating him Earl of Wigtown, with right of regality and special judicial powers. Fleming followed David II into England in 1346, and with him was taken prisoner at the battle of Durham, 17 Oct., conveyed to London and incarcerated in the Tower. After a lengthened captivity he was liberated, and took a prominent part in the negotiations for the ransom of David II. At the meeting of the Scottish parliament at Edinburgh on 26 Sept. 1357 he was appointed one of the commissioners to conclude the treaty at Berwick on 3 Oct. following, and his seal was appended to that document. He died about 1360, and was succeeded by his grandson Thomas, earl of Wigtown, who sold the earldom to Archibald, third earl of Douglas, 8 Feb. 1371–2. Fleming married a foster sister of King Robert Bruce, who was called Lady Marjory, countess of Wigtown. The royal connection is shown in the fact that in 1329 Fleming received a royal gift of money on the occasion of his son's marriage. He had one son, Thomas or John, who predeceased him, and two daughters: (1) Lady Marjory, who married William of
