Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Melvin, James
MELVIN, JAMES (1795–1853), Latin scholar, was born in Aberdeen, of poor parents, on 21 April 1795. He passed through the grammar school a few years after Byron had left it, during Cromar's rectorship, and was the first bursar of his year at Marischal College, whence he graduated A.M. in 1816. After acting successively as usher at a private school kept by Bisset at Udny, and at Old Aberdeen grammar school under Ewen Maclachlan [q. v.], he became in 1822 a master at the Aberdeen grammar school, and in 1826 he succeeded Cromar as rector. He also became ‘lecturer on humanity’ (i.e. Latin) at Marischal College, and was created LL.D. by the college in 1834. He formed a wonderful collection of classical and mediæval Latin literature, and became probably the most accomplished Scottish Latinist of his day. An appreciative account of his teaching and personality was contributed to ‘Macmillan's Magazine’ for January 1864 by a former pupil, Professor David Masson, who, with pardonable exaggeration, compares Melvin as a ruler and inspirer of boys to Thomas Arnold [q. v.] His method of instruction was certainly most dissimilar, being minute, punctilious, and strictly philological. In 1839 and in 1852 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the professorship of Latin at Marischal College. On 18 June 1853 a testimonial in the shape of 300l. in a silver snuff-box (souvenir of an inveterate habit) was presented to him by old pupils. Severe application had told upon his health, and he died at his house in Belmont Street, 29 June 1853. He was publicly buried in the town churchyard on 5 July.
‘Latin Exercises as dictated by the late James Melvin, LL.D., to which are prefixed Dissertations on a variety of Latin Idioms and Constructions,’ was published by the Rev. Peter Calder, rector of Grantown grammar school, in 1857. A supplementary volume or key appeared in 1858, and a third edition, revised by the Rev. J. Pirie, Edinburgh, in 1873, 8vo. Melvin also wrote for use in his school a Latin grammar, which first appeared in 1822, and passed through three editions, and a number of grammatical ‘Melviniana’ were appended by W. D. Geddes, professor of Greek in Aberdeen University, to his ‘Principles of Latinity,’ Edinburgh, 1860.
Melvin was said to have been long occupied with a large Latin dictionary, but does not appear to have left any materials. His books (6,984 in number) were presented to Marischal College in September 1856 by his sister and executrix, Agnes Melvin. A stained-glass window in the university library, Aberdeen, represents Melvin in his rectorial robes, in association with Buchanan, Arthur Johnston, and Ruddiman. The device is a beehive and grapes, and the inscription, ‘Mel-vinum Natura dedit, gaudete Camenæ’ (Geddes, The Melvin Memorial Window, 1885).
[Athenæum, 1853, pp. 861–2; Gent. Mag. 1853, ii. 318 (same notice); Macmillan's Mag. January 1864, pp. 225–39; Aberdeen Herald, 2 and 9 July 1853; Anderson's Fasti Academiæ Mariscallanæ, 1889, pp. 527–9; private information.]