Scottish antiquary and historian (1662?1728)
James Anderson
(5 August 1662 ? 3 April 1728),
Scottish
antiquary and historian, was born at
Edinburgh
. His father was
Patrick Anderson of Walston
, a church minister, who was for some time imprisoned on the
Bass Rock
on the Firth of Forth in
Haddingtonshire
.
[1]
Education and career
[
edit
]
He was educated for the law, and became a
writer to the signet
(Scottish
solicitor
or
attorney
) in 1691. His profession gave him the opportunity of gratifying his taste for the study of ancient documents; and just before the
Act of Union 1707
the
Parliament of Scotland
commissioned him to prepare for publication what remained of the public records of the
Kingdom of Scotland
, and in their last session voted a sum of £1940
pound Scots
to defray his expenses.
[2]
At this work he laboured for several years; but it was not completed at his death in 1728. The book was published posthumously in 1739, edited by
Thomas Ruddiman
, under the title
Selectus Diplomatum et Numismatum Scotiae Thesaurus
. Ruddiman also produced a translation into Scots.
[4]
The preparation of this great national work was expensive; and soon after his death, the numerous plates, engraved by
John Sturt
, were sold for £530. These plates are now lost, and the book has become exceedingly scarce.
Anderson was appointed in 1715
Postmaster General for Scotland
, as some compensation for his labours; but in the political struggles of 1717 he was deprived of this office, and never again obtained any reward for his services.
Anderson had a significant personal library which included a substantial collection of works by English historians.
[5]
Advocacy of Scottish independence
[
edit
]
He published, during the controversy about whether Scotland was bound by the
Act of Settlement 1701
or not,
An Historical Essay showing that the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland is Imperial and Independent
(Edinburgh, 1705), and later
Collections relating to the History of Mary Queen of Scotland
(in 4 vols, Edin., 1727?1728),
both of which were later used extensively by his great-nephew, the historian
William Robertson
.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Further reading
[
edit
]
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|