KEMP, GEORGE MICKLE, who designed the Scott Monument at Edinburgh, was a self-educated artist, the story of whose early exer tions and brief career excited great interest at the time of his death In the year 1844. He was born about the year 1704, and was the son of a shepherd of Newhall on the Esk. lie was first employed in tending cattle on the Pentland hills, and it is thought that there he Imbibed his attachment for the beauty of natural scenery. In his tenth, or as some say his sixth, year, being sent with a message to Bonilla (six miles from his home), he saw the chapel and ruined castle there ; and to this visit he was afterwards accustomed to attribute the commencement of a love of architecture—through which he was led, under much endurance, to enter upon many wanderings at home and abroad.
He was first apprenticed to a country carpenter and millwright at Red Scaur Head, near Eddleatone; and on the expiration of his time ho removed to Gelashiels, and subsequently visited London and Manches ter, as a journeyman in his trade, In which he is said to have shown both skill and taste. Whilst at Galashiela he made excursions to Melrose and Jedburgh abbeys ; and whilst in England, to which he paid two visits, he contrived to see many of the cathedrals. Ha acquired a great love of poetry, and especially of the works of Sir Walter Scott, and occupied himself in assiduous cultivation of his intellectual powers. In the interval of his visite to England he resided for four years in Glasgow, where he carefully studied the cathedral of that town. Thus gaining much admiration of Gothic architecture, in 1821 he started to the Continent, intending to travel over the chief part of Europe. Some embarrassments of a relative induced him to return after a twelve month ; bat in the meantime he had visited the most important cathedrals of France and the Netherlaude, supporting himself by his trade, In which, as an English workman in mill-machinery, his labour was highly prized. On his return to Edinburgh he attempted to set up in business, but did not succeed. lie then applied himself earnestly to the practice of drawing and about the year 1830 be produced three elaborate views of Melrose Abbey, which were pur chased by Mr. Thomas Hamilton, the architect Mr. Burn, the architect, then employed him to execute a large model for a palace for the Duke of Baceleuch, which occupied him two years. In conjunction with
an engraver, and afterwards with Messrs. Blackie & Son of Glasgow, he contemplated a work on the ecclesiastical antiquities of Scotland. Considerable progress was made with the drawings and plates, the materials being collected by Kemp, who traversed great part of Scot land taking sketches and measurements. The publication was however abandoned for the time, but his labours gave him considerable know ledge of the architecture of his country. After the death of Sir Walter Scott a competition was called for of designs for a monument to his memory, when Kemp produced a design which obtained one of the three premiums of 50/. which were offered. A second competition followed, when Kemp, under the nom de guerre of " John Merve," was again successful. Much controversy and vituperation ensued, but one of Kemp 'a designs was afterwards commenced. He however did not live to see it completed. On the evening of March 5, 1844, he was missing, and on the 8th his body was found in the canal, into which it was conjectured he had fallen, having had occasion to go along the towing-path on a dark night. On the 22nd his remains were followed to the grave by about 400 mourners, including the magistracy, the members of the Royal Scottish Academy, and other public bodies. He was in the fiftieth year of his age.
Kemp's career of six years after the period of his studies, and his one art-work, scarcely allow him to claim a place in the number of British architects An impartial view of the circumstances which led to his fame, would probably show that ha had happened to chime with the feeling of the moment, especially through his putting forth a desigu which professedly embodied details from Melrose Abbey. The Scott Monument is one of the more elaborate of those canopied and pinnacled structures covering a statue, which have since frequently been attempted , and in many details, we apprehend, with more success. Had he been employed on the execution of a design which he exhibited in a model in 1840, for the reparation and completion of the cathedral at Glasgow, he would probably have obtained higher rank in his pursuit. His life however might afford much matter of interest in inquiries, whether with reference to the scope of the artisan's calling, or the education needed for the architect.