THE BOOK OF SCOTSMEN EMINENT FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN ARMS AND ARTS, CHURCH AND STATE, LAW, LEGISLATION, TRAVEL, AND PHILANTHROPY. COMPILED AND ARRANGED BY JOSEPH IRVING, Author of "Annals of Our Time," "History of Dumbartonshire," &c., &l. PAISLEY: ALEXANDER GARDNER. MDCCCLXXXI. 210. าน 626 PREFATORY NOTE. THE design of this hand-book will be greatly misunderstood, and even some measure of injustice, unconsciously it may be, directed against the Compiler if it is looked upon in any light as intended to minister to national vanity by exhibiting the achievements of Scotsmen in the way of challenge to other divisions of the Kingdom. With old Scottish traditions still influencing national life, and with her own legal, ecclesiastical, and municipal systems yet preserved in all their bristling peculiarities, there might be much interesting information conveyed by working on such lines; but the whole tendency of modern civilizing influences being to draw together people of kindred race or interest, it has been thought better to design the book only as a contribution to the Biographical History of the United Kingdom. Such history the writer would like to see more complete and recent than anything presently existing. The Biography of Counties or Shires, of Parishes, and even of single families, might all be made full of interesting details, and at the same time fitted to be of vast use to the general as well as to the local historian. For the avoidance of another kind of error, a sentence or two more may be necessary. "The Book of Scotsmen" will be found essentially a Brief Dictionary-reasonably accurate, it is hoped, so far as it goes, but, at the same time, suggestive rather than exhaustive. The names of most of the old historical families will be found represented by some specially prominent member, yet no pretension is made to mere genealogical or family history. This has already been well and fully done in various compilations of easy access. Current Parliamentary Guides, and Guides to the Church, the Bench, and the Bar, may be in the hands of anybody who requires them. Then, in the case of authors and artists, a few of their best-known works are mentioned; but "The Book" is not to be accepted as either a Scottish Bibliography or a Scottish Art Catalogue. To accomplish such a task perfectly, even were it possible, would require many volumes equal in size to the present. Instead of discussing or estimating conduct, what has rather been aimed at was to present a short outline of work actually accomplished by eminent Scotsmen and Scotswomen of past and present times. With the more elaborate productions of Dr. Robert Chambers, or the equally praiseworthy volumes of "The Scottish Nation," edited by William Anderson, this publication enters into no rivalry. At the same time, it is hoped some compensation for brevity may be found in the freshness of its details, and the references made to more exhaustive authorities. The entries, as a rule, have been written up to the close of 1880. So As to deeds performed by Scotsmen in the service of their country, many of stirring interest will be found referred to; but for special purposes, not to the extent, probably, that will supersede all reference to ordinary official authorities. prominent have Scotsmen been in gallantry before the enemy, that a selection of representative names was all it was possible to embrace within the compass of the present volume. These were selected at least with care and impartiality, if not with judg ment, and include the brave of all ranks, as well as of every service— military, naval, consular, and mercantile. All walks of life, and all sorts of authorities have been examined for material. Eminent Professors will be found, with many Judges who have adorned the Bench during the last fifty years, and others in centuries earlier. Within the pages of "The Book" there will also be found some record of our most prominent Journalists, a company of gentlemen hitherto treated in such works, with rare exceptions, as if they were mere harmless drudges in the public service, about whom the absence of any lasting memorial need cause no concern. With so many walks in which eminence may be attained, it is desirable to keep in mind that the length of space devoted to a name is not to be always strictly construed as the precise measure of importance. The most prominent names in Scottish history have been set forth under so many varying conditions that there is no danger of their ever falling out of sight. It is different with others, who, although they may have been of some note in their day, have not had the honour of any permanent record, and are therefore likely to pass into oblivion. Names of this kind have been the puzzle and despair of inquirers, a state of things owing no doubt in some measure to the irksome, almost repulsive labour of examining file upon file of newspapers for some stray date, about which nobody accessible could come nearer than a year or two-and then only by a guess. Such labour has been much engaged in by the present writer. Although not always successful in his searches--and the mere chance of such a result makes the labour as ungrateful as unfruitful--he trusts his readers will judge him to have been lucky enough to set in historic form many half-forgotten circumstances of wholly forgotten lives. In the case of members of the same family, parties consulting "The Book" will notice that the alphabetical arrangement has been sometimes departed from, for the purpose of keeping them together. It was imagined this would serve a convenient, and therefore useful purpose, by showing in a continuous way the position occupied by important families in the many struggles for power through which some of them passed, and the form also in which they brought their influence to bear on great national events. In this manner the houses of Douglas, Hamilton, Huntly, Lennox, Strathearn, and many others not to speak of the Kingly Bruce, and the Royal line of Stewart-may be readily traced from the era of the Crusades, through all the struggles of the War of Independence, down till the period. when Civil strife became intensified by the rival claims of Royalist, Puritan, and Covenanter. Nor in the quieter walks of Literature, Science, or Art, is the plan without advantage. Most students consulting "The Book" as a ready reference, will likely desire to see in what intellectual relation sons and grandsons stood to fathers or grandfathers who had distinguished themselves. A very few names-some half-dozen in number-have dropt out of their strict alphabetical place through oversight, or lateness in furnishing details. For still another class-names omitted by accident—a sheet of additions has been added to the work as originally designed. The Compiler is hopeful that his book-the only one of its classwill be found useful. That it will be found even nearly perfect, he can hardly assume; but on examining it carefully, students or critics who know something about the labour involved in such productions |