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THE EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY,
12, South St David Street.
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PAGE v
PREFACE.
IN preparing this volume of SELECT BIOGRAPHIES
for the Members of the WODROW SOCIETY, the
principle of selection adopted was that of singling
out individuals who acted a prominent part in their
eventful times, but whose histories were not so generally known
as it appeared they ought to be. Acting on this principle,
chronological order has in general been followed, and the Life of
John Welsh readily occurred as the most appropriate for commencing
the Series. The present Memoir is a reprint of the Life
first published at Edinburgh, by George Mosman, in 1703; and
universally ascribed to the Rev. James Kirkton, himself a sufferer
in those troublous times, and related by marriage to Welsh.
But it must be confessed that the Life is neither so full of incident,
nor so satisfactory in its details, as the character of him who forms
its subject demands. Indeed, it may be regarded rather as
sketching some passages of Welsh's history, than as presenting a
full delineation of his character, and the Life of John Welsh has
yet to be written.
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