The common melon (Cucumis vielo) is cultivated in the same places and ripens at the same time with the watermelon, but the fruit in Egypt is not so delicious (see Sonnini's Travels, ii, 328) ; the poor in Egypt do not eat this melon. "A traveller in the East," says Kitto (note on Numb, xi, 5), "who recollects the intense gratitude which a gift of a slice of melon inspired while journeying over the hot and dry plains, will readily comprehend the regret with which the Hebrews in the Arabian Desert looked back upon the melons of Egypt."
For further details, see 01. Celsius, De Melonibus ^■Effi/ptiis (Lugd. B. 1726), and Ilierohot. i, 356 sq. ; Sal- masii Ilonion. hi/les iutricce, c. 35; Rosenmiiller, ^[or- fjenl. ii, 241 sq. ; Thomson, JMud and Book, ii, 261 ; Tris- tram, Nat. Hist, of the Bible, p. 468.
Melugin, Thomas Maddix, a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, was born near Coving- ton, Ky., Sept. 17, 1838 ; in 1853 he was converted, and joined the above Church; was licensed to preach in August, 1861, and in November following was admitted into the ^lemphis Conference on trial, and sent to La Grange Circuit; in 1862 to Randolph Circuit; in 1863 to Huntingdon Circuit, where his health failed, and he was compeOed to leave the work. In 1864 he received a superinimerary relation, in which he was assigned to Randolph Circuit, and in 1865 to Covington Station, where he remained until his death, April 2, 1866. Mr. iMelugin was ever devoted to his work, and in his last illness excmplifiod the power of the Christian's faith. See Miiiiitis of th,- M. K. Church,South, 1866.
Melville, Andrew, one of Scotland's celebrated characters, the most eminent worker in the " Kirk" next to John Knox himself, and denominated by Anglican churchmen " the father of Scottish Presbytery" (Ste- phen, i, 258 ; compare, however, Hetherington, p. 78, coL I ), was born Aug. 1, 1545. He was the youngest of the nine sons of Richard Melville of Baldovy, a small estate on the banks of the South Esk, near Montrose. He had the misfortune to lose both his parents when only about two years old, liis father falling at the battle of" Pinkie in 1547, and his mother dying in the course of the same year; and the education of young Andrew devolved upon his eldest brother, who was minister of the neighboring parish of JIaritoun after the establishment of the Ref- ormation in 1560. Even as a child Anih-ew distin- i,'uishod himself by the quickness of his capacity, and, though a delicate Ijoy, it was determined that lie should have all the advantages the schools of his day could af- ford him. At the age of fourteen he was removed from tlic grammar-school of Montrose, where he had been for some time, to St. Mary's College, in the University of St. Andrew's. Here he studied for four years most de- votedly, and, upon the completion of the curriculum, bore away the re]iutation of being "the best philoso- |)her, poet, and (irecian of any young master in the land." We are told that .lohn Douglas, who was at that time rector of St. Andrew's, showed Andrew Melville much marked attention, and that the old rector was so much pleased with his shrewdness and accuracy of ob- servation, that, on parting with him, Douglas exclaimed,
MELVILLE
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MELVILLE
" My silly fatherless and motherless boy, it's ill to wit what God may make of thee yet." Anxious to continue his studies under the guidance of master minds, he de- termined to go abroad, and take his place at the feet of the learned of other lands. First among the high- schools of that day figured Paris, and thither he now directed his steps. He was only a boy of nineteen, but he had the purposes of a man, and without the loss of a moment, he made haste to reach Paris, and recommenced his studies at the French capital. After a two-years' stay he proceeded to Poitiers, to devote some time to the study of civil law, not, however, for the purpose of preparing for the legal profession, but only as a source of discipline " connected with a complete course of edu- cation."
MelviUe had gone to Poitiers, as he imagined, a per- fect stranger, but his reputation as a scholar had reached the place long before he made his actual debut, and he was greeted with the offer of a professorship at the high- school which he had intended to enter as a student. For three years he labored at the College of St. Marceon with most marked success, at the same time, however, adhering steadfast to the chief intention of his visit thither, viz. the study of civil law. In 1567 the renewed political disturbances obliged him to quit France. He retired to Geneva, and by the exertions of Beza the chair of humanity, which happened to be then vacant, in the academy of that place, was secured for him. Andrew INIelville was now more in his element, both politically and religiously, and Geneva was a scene to which his mind often recurred in after-life. It was there he made that progress in Oriental learning for which he became so distinguished. There also he enjoyed the society of some of the best and most learned men of the age ; but above all it ivas there the hallo-.ved flame of civil and religious liberty began to glow in his breast, with a fer- vor which continued unabated ever after. In the spring of 1574, at the urgent request of his friends at home, he resigned his position here, and decided to return to his native country, from which he had now been absent al- together about ten years. On this occasion Beza ad- dressed a letter to the General Assembly, in which, among other expressions of a like kind, he declared that Jlelville was " equally distinguished for his piety and his erudition, and that the Church of Geneva could not give a stronger proof of affection to her sister Church of Scotland than by suffering herself to be bereaved of him that his native country might be enriched with his gifts."