The members of the family, who took up the study of medicine were great healers, but how large was their idea of what that word meant! To cure the body or to fail in curing it was one thing, but to get at the reasons of illness in the circumstances and troubles of the patient, to take away the effect through taking away the cause, was ever the Gregories’ way. They understood many an unspoken heart history, and from their own strong natures gave both strength and comfort to the sick. It is no wonder then to see Burns clinging to the friendship of his great physician for support and for love, knowing it was to be found in ‘that man of iron justice, who was made without compassion for a poor poetic sinner.’ Nor it must in truth be added, was Dr Gregory any less severe with unpoetic sinners. For there is a case recorded when a great aldermanic magnate came to consult him from the west country, expecting his case to be considered as one of grave importance and significance. What was then his surprise, when he was shortly but critically surveyed by the doctor, and shown out of the consulting room with directions equivalent to this: ‘Have nothing richer than roast mutton and rice pudding for dinner for the next three months, and then if you care to let me have the pleasure of seeing you again, you will be a different man’—a transformation which the doctor evidently thought very desirable! One can see that life could never be smooth to such a man. But at least the Gregories in all the struggles of life, in the riots of tongues, were ever sure of love and quiet by their own fireside. That came to them because they were such great lovers, just as the difficulties outside came from the same strong natures seeking their own way too much. It has to be remembered in connection with this that they were usually right, but that does not make the contest any less bitter. If one could only think of them as having had peaceful lives, as Thomas Reid at least had, but it was always a struggle, if not a battle with them till the pale conqueror came to still the hubbub for ever. They were great men, no mere dreamers. They were workers with busy minds, to whom life was ever too short for the fulfilment of their plans, but death never came to them before they had earned their rest. All the great universities of this country who received the teaching of the Gregories, have felt themselves honoured by their service, and have adorned their annals with their name. THE END. INDEX ABERDEEN, University of, 52, 92. ABERDEEN, Grammar School of, 27, 52, 92, 100, 125. ALISON, Sir Archibald, 155, 156. ALISON, William Pulteney, 122, 124, 143, 155. ANDERSON, David, of Finzeach, 10. ANDERSON, Janet, 10, 26. ARBUTHNOT, Dr, 68, 72, 73, 74. BEATTIE, 109, 119–21. BURNET, Bishop, 27, 65. BURNET, Helen, of Elrick, 99. BURNET, Mary, 32. BURNS, 129, 133, 134, 135, 157.