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JACK, or JACHEUS, THOMAS,
a classical scholar of eminence, and author of the "Onomasticon Poeticum."
The period of the birth of this author is unknown: Dr M’Crie has with
his usual industry made investigations into his history, but excepting
the circumstances to be discovered from the dedication to his work, none
but a few barren facts have been found, which must have ill repaid the
labours of the search. He was master of the grammar school at Glasgow,
but at what period he entered that seminary is unknown. He relinquished
the situation in 1574, and became minister of the neighbouring parish of
Eastwood, from which, in the manner of the time, he dates his book "ex
sylva vulgo dicta orientali;" his work is entitled "Onomasticon
Poeticum, sive propriorum quibus in suis monumentis usi sunt veteres
Poetae, brevis descriptio Poetica;" it is neatly printed in quarto, by
Waldegrave, 1592, and is now very rare. It may be described as a
versified topographical dictionary of the localities of classical
poetry, expressing in a brief sentence, seldom exceeding a couple of
lines, some characteristic, which may remind the student of the subject
of his readings. He mentions that he has found the system advantageous
by experiment; and most of our readers will be reminded of the repeated
attempts to teach the rules of grammar, and other matters necessary to
be committed to memory, in a similar manner. The subject did not admit
of much elegance, and the chief merit of the author will be acknowledged
in the perseverance which has amassed so many references to subjects of
classical research.
In the dedication, which
is addressed to James, eldest son of Claud Hamilton, commendator of
Paisley, a pupil of the author, Jack complacently mentions that he had
been induced to publish by the recommendation of Andrew Melville and
Buchanan, and that the latter eminent person had revised the work, and
submitted to a counter revision of works of his own. Prefixed to the
Onomasticon are encomiastic verses by Robert Pollock, Hercules Pollock,
Patrick Sharpe, Andrew Melville, and Sir Thomas Craig. Dr M’Crie has
discovered that Thomas Jack, as minister of Rutherglen, was one of those
who, in 1582, opposed the election of Robert Montgomery as archbishop of
Glasgow. He appears to have been a member of the General Assembly in
1590; he is mentioned in 1593, as a minister within the bounds of the
presbytery of Paisley, and must have died in 1596, as appears from the
Testament Testamentar of "Euphame Wylie, relict of umquhill Mr Thomas
Jak, min’ at Eastwod." |
