John, was born at Edinburgh in 1789, and educated at the university of that city, where he afterwards commenced his career as a clerk in the Commercial Bank. Having a taste for literature, which he as-

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1 It may be noticed, that Dr M'Crie, in May 1834, visited London to give his evidence before the Committee of the House of Commons on Church Patronage. His evidence forms part of the voluminous Report on that question, pp. 355-374, and 383-393.