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See also: born at Dundee on the 24th of See also: November 1774
.
The appearance of a brilliant See also: meteor inspired him, when in his ninth See also: year, with a passion for astronomy; and at the age of sixteen he forsook the See also: loom, and supported himself by teaching
.
In 1794 he entered the university of See also: Edinburgh, and set up a school on the termination of his course; then, in 18o1, took out a licence to preach, and officiated for some years as probationer in the See also: United Presbyterian See also: church
.
From about 1807 to 1817 he taught in the
See also: secession school at See also: Methven in See also: Perthshire, and during the ensuing See also: decade in that of See also: Perth, where he composed his first substantive See also: book, The Christian Philosopher (1823, 8th ed
.
1842)
.
Its success determined his vocation as an author; he built himself, in 1827, a cottage at Broughty See also: Ferry, near Dundee, and devoted himself wholly to See also: literary and scientific pursuits
.
They proved, however, owing to his unpractical turn of mind, but slightly remunerative, and he was in 1847 relieved from actual poverty by a See also: crown pension of £5o a year, eked out by a See also: local subscription
.
He died on the 29th of See also: July 1857
.
His best-known See also: works are: See also: Celestial Scenery (1837), The Sidereal Heavens (184o), and The See also: Practical Astronomer (1845), in which is contained (p
.
204) a remarkable forecast of the See also: powers and uses of celestial photography
.
Written with competent knowledge, and in an agreeable See also: style, they obtained deserved and widespread popularity
.
See R
.
See also: Chambers's Eminent Scotsmen (ed
.
7868) ; Monthly Notices See also: Roy
.
Astr
.
Society, xviii
.
98; See also: Athenaeum (1857), p
.
I0o8
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(A
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M
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