BRUCE, JAMES, one of the most enterprizing of modern travellers, was born at Kinnaird, the residence of his family, in the county of Stirling, in Scotland, on tl.e 14th day of December, 1730. Bruce's family was ancient and respectable, and many of his ancestors had made a distinguished figure both in church and state. Of the early life of Bruce few particulars are known ; though strongly farmed, he did not promise, when a hild, that athletic constitution and stature which he at tamed in manhood : and his temper, contrary to what he afterwards assumed, was gentle and quiet ; as he advanced in life, it became bold, hasty, and impetuous, accompanied however with a manly openness, that skew ed a warm and generous heart. When about twelve Icars of age, he was sent to the school at Harrow on the Hill, in the vicinity of London ; where he is said to have made rapid progress in classical literature. Ile was particularly attentive in acquiring the accomplish ments of fashionable life ; he spent most of his leisure time in sports of the field, and attained great dexterity in shooting ; a qualification which he turned to good account in the course of his hazardous travels. IIe was intended originally for the profession of the law ; he does not appear to have been fond of this profession ; and his of Heineccitts's lizeiert!,.s, which is still in the possession of the family, is scribbled over with verses from the Italian poets. At last he relinquished the study of the law altogether, and turned his thoughts towards India ; he was prevented however from carry ing his intentions into execution, by forming an acquain tance with the family of a Mrs Allan, the widow of an eminent wine merchant, whose daughter he married; in consequence of this connection he settled in London, as a partner in the wine trade with Mrs Allan's son. In a few months after their marriage, Mrs Bruce exhibited evident symptoms of consumption; and it was deemed necessary to try the mild climate of the south of France. She expired, however, at Paris; and such was the bi gotry of the Roman Catholics at that time, that she was scarcely permitted to die in peace, and her distracted husband had to steal for her a grave at midnight, that he might avoid the unhallowed insults which bigotry thought it meritorious to offer to the remains of a he retic.
Mr Bruce continued for some time in the wine trade, and in the way of his business travelled over the most of Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. When at Brussels he was involved in a quarrel with a person who had behaved rudely in his presence, to a young gentleman, whose appearance had prepossessed Bruce in his lavour. This quarrel was decided by the sword ; and Bruce having wounded his antagonist, as it was thought mortally, was obliged to leave the Nether lands. Having received accounts of his father's death,
ho died at Edinburgh, in 1753, he resolved to return to England. Though he succeeded to a respectable fortun:n it was by no means adequate to the demands of his ambition. As he possessed great facility in ac quiring languages, he began to devote himself to the study of the Arabic and Ethiopic, prompted at first in all probability, by mere curiosity ; but it is not unlikely that the world owes to this circumstance the fruits of his valuable travels. In 1761 Bruce withdrew from the wine trade, which he had carried on for seven years, in company with his brother-in-law. He now began to en gage in politics, and proposed the plan of an expedition against Ferrol, which was favourably received by the ministry, and teem resolved on, hut never carried into execution. Bruce being disappointed in his solved to return to Scotland, and d • iirS time as a country gentieman Lord Halifax laughed at the idea, and suggested Africa to him as a proper field for enter prize and discovery; and that he might go tinder the protection of a public character, it was proposed to send him as consul to Algiers. Bruce acceded to these pro posals, and left Britain in the end of June 1752. lie passed through France and Italy, and carried with hint from the latter country an artist to assist him in his drawings. His residence at Algiers was rendered ex tremely uncomfortable, and lie was at last superseded by the influence of a party. Ile obtained permission from the Dey to travel through the interior provinces, from thence he passed into Syria, visited Balbec and Palmyra, and at last prepared for his great enterprize, the journey into Abyssinia, to explore the sources of the Nile. As lie had resolved to travel in the charac ter of a physician, he received books and instructions respecting the diseases of the cast from Dr Russel at Aleppo. He sailed up the Nile a considerable way, and then joined the caravan to Cosseir on the Red Sea; front thence he passed over to Jidda, and visited a conside rable part of the sea coast of Arabia. The journal which he kept of the occurrences in Egypt and Arabia is ex tremely interesting ; but our limits prevent us from en tering into a detailed account. After furnishing himself with numerous letters of recommendation, a precaution which he never neglected, and to which be owe d his safety, he sailed for Massowah, the only practicable entrance into Abyssinia. Ile was here exposed to the greatest danger front the villany of the Naybe, and with difficulty escaped with his life. It is quite impossible to give an account of his proceedings in Abyssinia, .