Dr. Robertson continued to superintend the affairs of our national church, as the leader of the General Assembly, (to which he was returned as a member every year by the University,) till the year 1781, when he withdrew from the bustle of active life. In the most essential qualifications of a speaker, Mr. Stewart is of opinion, that he was entitled to rank with the first names which have in our times adorned the British senate. " His eloquence," he remarks, " was mild, rational, and conciliating, yet manly arid dignified " In his pastoral character, Dr. Robertson was exem plary in the discharge of his duties, and his diligence in this respect increased as he advanced in years. He had unfortunately lost, before he left Gladsmuir, a volume of sermons, which he had composed with care, other wise we might have been gratified with more specimens than we possess of his pulpit eloquence; but his col league, Dr. Erskine, informs us, "that his discourses were so plain that the most illiterate might easily under stand them, and yet so correct and elegant that they could not incur their censure whose taste was more refined." In his private character, Dr. Robertson displayed all the virtues of domestic and social life. He had the satisfaction of leaving his family in prosperous circum stances ; and his eldest son, the present Lord Robertson, has raised himself, by his talents and character, to one of the highest dignities of his profession.
In stature Dr. Robertson was rather above the mid dle size, and his form was vigorous and robust. There is a picture of him by Sir Joshua Reynolds, from which a good mezzotinto has been engraved ; and there is another taken at a later period, at the request of his colleagues, and placed in the library of the university.
In the year 1781, Dr. Robertson was elected one of the foreign members of the Academy of Sciences at Padua, and, in 1783, one of the foreign members of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburg. The Empress Catharine was so much delighted with his works, that she presented him, through the late Dr. Rogerson, with a handsome gold enamelled snuff-box, richly set with diamonds.
Dr. Robertson was the founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and exerted himself with his usual zeal, not only in forming the,plan of that institution, but in carrying it on after it was established.
Those who wish for further information respecting the life and writings of this eminent author, are referred to Mr. Dugald Stewart's Account of the Life and Writ ings of Dr. Robertson, Lond. 1801.