While Buchanan paid every attention to the duties of his official situation, (though, by the way, he does not seem to have been much in love with the laborious and ill-rewarded profession of a teacher), he continued to court the muses, and at once to improve and to display those great talents which he possessed as a Latin poet. To correct and refine the dramatic taste of the French nation, so far as his official influence and individual ef forts enabled him to go, he applied himself to the com position of tragedies for the academical stage, and drew off the attention of the students from the rude and ab surd representations to which they had been accustom ed, to those more correct and polished models which had been exhibited by the ancient theatre. His success in this department of literature was equal to his expec tations. In the course of three years, in the midst of his fatiguing avocations, and in continual apprehensions of the enmity of Cardinal Beaton, who was using every method of getting him apprehended, lie wrote four tra gedies, which, notwithstandim; many faults, are, on the whole, admirable specimens of a poetical mind, and es pecially of skill in the Latin la,iguage. Two of them were translations of the incest's, and the Medea of Eu ripides, who was his favourite author; the other two were original, and entitled JcnItthes and Bapistes, both of which have been translated into s,veral languages. Of these, Jeplithes is distinguished by considerable inte rest of subject, and many beauties in delineation; but Baptistes contains more of the characteristic marks of Buchanan's mind, as it declaims boldly against priest craft and tyranny, and inculcates, throughout, the love of civil and religious liberty.
While in Bordeaux, Buchanan wrote various other poems, and particularly devo.ed one to the laudable pur pose of securing the substantial patronage of Olivier, chancellor of the kingdom, to the college of Guienne. In this he succeeded, and then inscribed an elegant tri bute of gratitude to the chancellor for his liberality. He also addressed a Sapphic ode to the youth of Bordeaux, in order to recommend to them the study of the liberal arts ; and in this also, he appears to have attained his object. Having to the best instructions, united the most brilliant and winning example, he at once stimulated to the pursuit, and promoted the acquirement, of elegant literature.
After residing for three years at Bourdeaux, Bucha nan went to Paris, where he officiated as a regent in the college of Cardinal lc Moine till the year 1547. It ap pears from one of his elegies, that for a considerable time he was dreadfully afflicted with the gout. The elegy, however, in which he records the fact, shews that the disease had not impaired the vigour of his imagina tion. His associates in this new situation, were worthy of being connected with him ; and it has been remark ed, that humanity was taught in the same college, at the same period, by three of the most learned men in the world,—Turnebus, Buchanan, and NIuretus. From Pa ris he went to Coimbra, where the king of Portugal had lately established a university ; and there he had foe his colleagues, Govea, to whose friendship he had been for merly indebted,—Gelida, Tevius, and many other cele brated scholars. Govea, however, dying unexpectedly in 1548, and the protection which he had hitherto af forded to his learned coadjutors being of course with drawn, they were most bitterly persecuted by the Por tuguese. Buchanan, in particular, was marked out for a victim. The most foolish and unjust accusations were preferred against him. Two individuals formally de polled to his being inimical to the Roman faith. It was
known that he had written a poem in ridicule of the Fran ciscans, and, besides some uncatholic notions concerning the Eucharist, he had been guilty of a crime no less heinous than that of eating flesh in Lent. In these cir cumstances, it was wonderful that the Inquisition, be fore which he had been brought, permitted him to escape with his life. The termination, however, of that harassing trial to which he hail been subjected for a year and a half by the inquisitors, was neither severe nor un fortunate. Ile was sentenced to be confined in a monas tery, that be might enjoy the privilege of being edified by monks, much more ignorant of religion than destitute of kindness. Under their tuition, he continued for seve ral montbs.and it was during that period that he commen ced his beautiful version of the Psalms of David—a task which some allege was imposed upon him as a penance by his ghostly instructors, but which, it is more proba ble, he imposed upon nimself, for the purpose of solac ing his pious spiri, amidst the evils of his condition. Whatever was his motiN e for Ucginning tnis work, it is certain that he has accomplished it in a manner wnich does infinite honour to his genius, and which places him, though he had written nothing else, in the very hist ranks of modern Latin poets. The first specimen of it was published at Paris in the year 1556.
As soon as Buchanan regained his freedom, he deter mined to set out for France, to which count' y he seems to have cherished a warm and constant attachment, and solicited the king for a hunt of money sufficient to de fray the expellee of his jouincy. The king was unwil ling to part with him; and, in order to induce him to prolong his stay, bestowed upon him a small supply, and made him a promise of future and suitable preferment. The supply being little, and the promise of very doubt ful performance, he embarked at Lisbon, and arrived safe in England. There, however, he did not long re main. The aspect of political affairs was very discou raging; and though he might have received such pro motion as would have pleased other men, yet at that time his affections were so strongly placed on France, that he almost immediately (1553) departed for that favour ite land. The French nation were fond of him, and considered him in some measure as their own ; and the warmth and extent of his attachment to them may be seen in a poem written by him on this occasion, entitled ?dventus in Galliam, in which he praises the country for every thing that is beautiful in nature, liberal in art, re fined in manners, and great in arms. Soon after his return to Paris, he was made a regent in the college of Boncourt. In the year 1555, he became preceptor to Timoleon de Cosse, son of the celebrated Comte de Brissac, who at that time was invested with the govern ment of the French dominions in Italy. Marshal de Brissac was a great warrior, but of liberal sentiments, and fond of the society of learned men. Buchanan re sided in his family for five years, conducting himself with his accustomed propriety, and at once instructing the son in the elements of literature, and assisting the father with his counsel, and delighting him with his conversation. A civil war breaking out in France, Buchanan returned in haste to his native country. There he was employed at court (1562) as classical tutor to Queen Mary, who was then in her twentieth year; and we find by a letter of Randolph's, that he read with her, every afternoon, a portion of Livy ; a circumstance which places in a very respectable light the attainments of that accomplished but imprudent and unfortunate princess.