Buchanan arrived in Scotland just about the time (1560) when the reformed religion had triumphed over Popery, and obtained the sanction of Parliamentary enactment. To that religion he had all along been se cretly attached ; and though his attachment was founded on a rational conviction of its superiority and truth, he himself acknowledged that he was much confirmed in his principles by the treatment which he had received from the grey friars. He accordingly professed him self an adherent of the new doctrines. His accession to the number of the reformed was considered as of suf ficient importance to merit their best regards ; and by the Earl of Murray, who was not only one of them, but a patron of learning and of learned men, he was appoint ed principal of St Leonard's college in St Andrew's. In consequence of holding this office, he was obliged to prelect on theology ; and it is recorded, that his prelec tions were those of a man who had studied his subject, and that they displayed the characteristic ability of their author. He hau not been long in Scotland, when he thought of publishing a correct edition of his various poetical works. His version of the Psalms being now completed, he put it into the hands of the celebrated printer Henry Stephens, who kept the manuscript so long beside him, that he has been accused of a design to claim it as his own, in the event of Buchanan's death. This accusation, however, does not appear to have been well lounded. The work at length appeared, and ex cited universal admiration. Several attempts were made to give a Latin version, or rather paraphrase of the Book of Psalms ; but though some of these, particularly that of Arthur Johnston,possess great merit, and in cer tain points may be considered as equal, if not superior, to the production of Buchanan, it is the general and established opinion, that on the whole, he is quite un rivalled. Even of Johnstun's Psalms, we seldom hear; but Buchanan's Psalms are known to, and spoken of by every scholar in Europe. This elegant work the author inscribed, in a poetical dedication no less elegant, to Mary, whose studies he was probably superintending at the time. The queen rewarded him for his merits and for his compliments, by conferring on him the tempora lities of the abbey of Crossraguel, which were very con siderable. He also published a collection of satires, entitled Fratres Fraterrimi, which had been composed at various periods, and were chiefly directed against the doctrines of the Popish church, and the licentious ness of the Popish priests. By these effusions of nit and ridicule, he certainly promoted the cause of the Reformation. The abettors of that cause were encou raged by the efforts of such an able friend ; and its ad versar:es were put to silence and to shame, by a wea pon which the very nature of their superstition, and the notorious practices of their clergy, made it impossible for them to resist. In the year 1567, he published another collection, containing Ferny, Site , fiendecasyllabi.
As Principal of St Leonard's College, Buchanan was regarded with the highest reverence and esteem : in proof of which, various marks of honour were conferred upon him. Ile was also repeatedly a member of the General Assembly. Of that court, in 1567, he had, though a layman, been chosen moderator; and he. was formerly one of the commissioners appointed for revis ing the Book of Discipline. But Buczianan was now to appear in a new character, and to take an active and de cided part in the politic s of his country, which at that period were in a very disordered and critical state. The first transaction in which he engaged, was one of a na ture equally extraordinary and delicate. Elizabeth having required delegates to be sent from Scotland for the purpose of conferring with respect to the conduct and situation of Mary, who was then a prisoner in Eng land ; and Murray the Regent, with other distinguished persons, having gone on that embassy, Buchanan was one of several who were appointed to accompany them as assistants. He became a powerful coadjutor, by composing a work, in which he endeavoured to detect and expose the wicked actions of the Scotish Queen. This work was submitted to the commissioners during their conference at Westminster (1568), and was after wards circulated most industriously through the king dom by Elizabeth and her ministers. This part of Buchanan's conduct has been severely condemned by Chalmers, Stuart, and other writers of the same stamp, who have broadly accused him of the foulest and most aggravated ingratitude to Queen Mary. The benefits conferred upon him by that princess have been much exaggerated, in order to render his alleged misconduct the more glaring and unpardonable. One thing is cer
tain, that lie was not patronized or promoted beyond his real merit and his professional services. But even al lowing the greater part of what. has been asserted on that point to be true, the charge of ingratitude is not necessarily substantiated. Buchanan, doubtless, was placed in circumstances which must have been painful to an ingenuous mind, and which it is to be presumed were painful to his. There was a contest between pri vate feeling and public duty ; and had Buchanan been a man of narrow views, or sentimental imbecility, he would have preferred the claims of the former to the obligations of the latter : but as he thought vigorously, and felt nobly, he merged what he owed to an indivi dual in what he owed to his native country ; and that he might do a service to the cause of humanity, and reli gion, and freedom, (for all these were believed to have been violated by the queen), he was contented to lie un der the suspicions and to suffer the obloquy to which his patriotism might expose him. It should not be forgot ten, that he did not abandon his queen till she had open ly renounced those principles and virtues, by the exer cise of which alone, she could justly expect his alle giance and support. When Murray, to whom he was strongly attached, was assassinated (1570) by Hamilton of Bothwelhaugh, Buchanan feeling the keenest indig nation against the family of the assassin, and suspecting that their bloody purposes were not yet fully executed, wrote an admonitory letter on the subject, " Direct to the trees Lordis, Mantenaris of the Kingis Graces 4u thoritie." During the same year, lie wrote a satirical tract in the Scotish dialect, entitled " The Chameleon," in which he exposed, with great success, the unsteadi ness of Secretary Maitland's political principles and con duct. This production, however, was suppressed at the time, by the vigilance of the secretary, and indeed was not printed till the beginning of last century. Very soon after the death of Murray, Buchanan was nominated to be one of the preceptors for conducting the education of the young king, who was then only four years of age. This very delicate and important office, he executed with his characteristic talent and integrity, communi cating to his royal pupil the classical knowledge which he was so well able to impart ; instilling into his mind those sentiments which became his station and his des tiny ; and fearlessly subjecting him to that discipline, which the prospect of a crown generally renders more necessary than agreeable. James, who in some respects profited considerably by Buchanan's tuition, long re m.:mbered the commanding aspect and authoritative manner of his preceptor ; but that monarch did not realise the anticipations which Buchanan had fondly cherished of his reign, and permitted the liberal and enlightened sentiments which had been inculcated upon bin, with the utmost solicitude, to be superseded by an inordinate love of prerogative, ur impaired by a silly re sentment against his preceptor for his treatment of his unworthy mother. At the same time that Buchanan became preceptor to the king, he was made a director of the chancery ; and, in 1570, he was invested with the office of keeper of the privy seal, in room of Lord Maitland, which office he appears to have held so late as the year 1580. While Buchanan acted the part of a politician and a statesman, he continued to act also as a scholar ; for we find him occupied, by special appoint ment, in composing suitable grammars for the use of schools, which then laboured under great defects in that important particular. Ile afterwards employed his pen in drawing up a memorial respecting the reformation of the University of St Andrews, in pursuance of a com mission granted by the parliament in 1578, for relorm ing ail universities and colleges within the realm. About this time, it is evident, that Buchanan stood un commonly high in the estimation, not only of his own country, but of the world at large. He corresponded with the most eminent literary characters of the age. He was applied to by the king of Navarre, and other zealous Protestants on the continent, to promote the re formation, by using his influence with the monarch and people of Scotland. And some distinguished critics abroad solicited him for contributions to their editions and illustrations of the ancient classics—a department of literature to which he had not paid much attention, but in which his natural sagacity, and his extensive learning, certainly qualified him to excel.