When the Manchester Free Library was opened in 1852 he suggested that a series of popular literary lectures should be given in connection with that institution. The suggestion was adopted, and he delivered one of the courses himself, his subject being ‘Poetry and Fiction.’ Subsequently he gave a series of lectures at Owens College, extending over several years, on the ‘Relation of Religion to the Life of the Scholar.’ In all these addresses he made skilful use of his deep learning and knowledge of the languages and literature of many nations. Of those printed in separate form the chief were: 1. ‘Lectures Expository and Practical on the Epistle to the Romans,’ 1838. 2. ‘On the Academical Study of a Vernacular Language,’ 1848. 3. ‘Suggestions on Female Education,’ 1849. 4. ‘Notes of Four Lectures on the Literature and Philosophy of the Middle Ages;’ printed for private circulation (by Thomas Erskine of Linlathen), Edinburgh, 1857. 5. ‘Discourses,’ 1866; this posthumous volume contains early addresses on ‘Social Systems of the Present Day compared with Christianity,’ ‘Schism,’ and ‘The First Principle of Church Government.’
Scott's strong personal influence on all who were familiar with him is testified by Carlyle, Hare, Dunn, Bunsen, Fanny Kemble, and many others. Erskine in 1838 wrote: ‘Scott is in point of intellect one of the first, if not the first man I have known;’ and in 1860: ‘No man whom I have known has impressed me more than Scott.’ Maurice dedicated his ‘Mediæval Philosophy’ to him; J. Baldwin Brown dedicated to him his ‘Divine Life in Man,’ 1860; and George Macdonald, besides inscribing his novel of ‘Robert Falconer’ to him, wrote two poems ‘to A. J. Scott,’ which are included in his ‘Poetical Works’ (1893, i. 271, 280).
His health, always delicate, grew weaker in his later years. With the hope of gaining strength he went to Switzerland in the autumn of 1865, but died at Veytaux on 12 Jan. 1866, and was buried in the cemetery at Clarens.
He married Ann Ker at Greenock in December 1830, and had an only son, John Alexander Scott, B.A., barrister-at-law, who died on 9 Jan. 1894, aged 48; and a daughter, who is still living. Mrs. Scott died in December 1888.
A marble bust of Scott, by H. S. Leifchild, was presented to Owens College in 1860 by his students and those who attended his voluntary lectures. This is engraved in Shaw's ‘Manchester Old and New,’ ii. 93. Two chalk portraits, one by Samuel Laurence (about 1848) and the other by F. J. Shields, (1865), are in the possession of his daughter.
[Letters of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen, ed. Hanna, 1878; Memorials of John McLeod Campbell, 1877; Mem. of Rev. Robert Story, 1862; Thompson's Owens College. 1886; articles by John Finlayson in Owens College Magazine, vols. xiii. and xxii.; Life of F. D. Maurice, 1884, i. 199, ii. 403; Kemble's Records of a Later Life, ii. 283, 290; Journals of Caroline Fox; Hughes's Mem. of Daniel Macmillan, 1882; papers on Irving by Dr. David Brown in the Expositor, 1887; Recollections of A. J. Scott, Greenock, 1878; Sunday at Home, 1881, p. 664; Manchester Examiner, 8 July 1880; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Mrs. Oliphant's notices of Scott in her Life of Irving (1st edit. ii. 103 seq.), although she acknowledges his ‘power of impressing other minds around him, not only with his own marvellous powers of understanding, but with his profound spirituality and perception of divine things,’ are unjust and misleading. A vindication of Scott appeared in the National Review, October 1862. Some information has been supplied by Miss Susan F. Scott and Mr. John Finlayson.]
SCOTT, ANDREW (1757–1839), Scottish poet, son of John Scott, day labourer, and Rachel Briggs, was born at Bowden, Roxburghshire, on 19 April 1757. Scantily educated, he was for some time a cowherd, and then a farm-servant. At the age of nineteen he enlisted, and served with his regiment in the American war of independence. After the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, 19 Oct. 1781, he was for some time a prisoner of war in Long Island, returning to Scotland subsequently to the peace of 4 Jan. 1784. Being discharged, Scott settled at Bowden as a farm labourer, acting also as church officer for several years before his death, which occurred on 22 May 1839. He was married and had five children. His portrait was painted by George Watson (1767–1837) [q. v.] of Edinburgh.
Stimulated in boyhood by the ‘Gentle Shepherd,’ Scott was all through his military career a persistent versifier, and entertained his comrades with original songs. Sir Walter Scott, Lockhart, and others befriended and encouraged him. A manuscript volume of his lyrics was lost by his commanding officer, to whom the author had entrusted it; but, although he could reproduce only two numbers of the collection, his resources were not exhausted. Continuing to versify, he at length acted on the recommendation of the Bowden parish minister, and published a volume of lyrics in 1805 (2nd edit. 1808). In 1811 he issued ‘Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect,’ and two further volumes of a similar character
