BLACKWELL, 'l‘HmtAs, Ll,,.l)., brother 01' Dr.
Alexander Blackwell, mentioned above, was born
at Aberdeen .4. Aug” 1701, and alter studying in
the Marisehal College, became Greek prolessor
1723. In 1737 he published anonymously an
‘Enquiry into the Lite and \Vritings ot‘ Homer,’
which be afterwards aeconwanietl with ‘ l’root's,’
or translations ot‘ all the notes in the work. In
1748 be was appointed principal of the college,
and was the ill'nt layman raised to that dignity
since the patronage devolved on the Crown by the
f'ort‘eiture of the Marisehal family in 1716. He
(lied at Edinburgh 8 March, 1757. His other pub-
lieations were ‘ Letters concerning: Mythology;
and ‘ Memoirs of the Court ol~ Augustus,’ 3 \‘ols.
#0.: All these works are written in a most zttl'ectell
and pedantic style» It is said that beingr at Cam-
bridge soon after the publication of his ‘ Enquiry,’
be a>lzed Dr. Bentle}~ his opinion ot‘it. The doctor
replied that when he had gone through half of it
he had forgotten the beginning, and that when be
had finished the reading of ’n he had forgotten the
whole“