David Laing LLD (20 April 1793 – 18 October 1878) was a Scottish antiquary. EDII NMUS H OD 130-001

William Fettes Douglas (1822-1891) - David Laing (1793–1878), Antiquary - PG 2041 - National Galleries of Scotland

Life

The grave of David Laing, New Calton Burial Ground, Edinburgh

Laing was born on 20 April 1793, the son of William Laing (1761–1831), a bookseller in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

, and his wife Helen Kirk. They lived and worked from the head of Chessels Court on the Canongate. He was educated at Canongate Grammar School and then attended the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to his father. They formed W & D Laing Booksellers at 49 South Bridge, living at Ramsay Lodge at 66 Lauriston in 1830. Shortly after the death of his father in 1837, Laing was elected to be Librarian of the Signet Library replacing

Macvey Napier Macvey Napier (born Napier Macvey) (11 April 1776 – 11 February 1847) was a Scottish solicitor, legal scholar, and an editor of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. He was Professor of Conveyancing at the University of Edinburgh. Life Macv ...

, a post he retained until his death. Apart from general bibliographical knowledge, Laing was best known as a student of the literary and artistic history of Scotland. In 1864 he was awarded an honorary doctorate (LLD) by the

.Cassells Old and New Edinburgh, vol II p.376 Laing was struck with paralysis in October 1878 while in the Signet Library, and it is said that, on recovering consciousness, he looked about and asked if a proof of Wyntoun had been sent from the printers. He died a few days afterwards, aged 85, at his home, 68 Promenade in Portobello. He is buried in

New Calton Burial Ground New Calton Burial Ground is a burial ground in Edinburgh. It was built as an overspill and functional replacement to Old Calton Burial Ground and lies half a mile to its east on Regent Road in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the south-east slopes of C ...

in east Edinburgh. The grave lies on the north wall near the northeast corner. His library was sold at auction by Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge over a period of 31 days, and realised £16,137. He bequeathed his collection of manuscripts to the

Works

Laing published no original books but edited the works of others. Of these, the major ones are:

William Dunbar William Dunbar (born 1459 or 1460 – died by 1530) was a Scottish makar, or court poet, active in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. He was closely associated with the court of King James IV and produced a large body of work i ...

's ''Works'' (2 vols., 1834), with a supplement added in 1865;

Robert Baillie Robert Baillie (30 April 16021662) was a Church of Scotland minister who became famous as an author and a propagandist for the Covenanters.

's ''Letters and Journals'' (3 vols.; 1841–42); John Knox's ''Works'' (6 vols.; 1846–64); ''Poems and Fables of

Robert Henryson Robert Henryson (Middle Scots: Robert Henrysoun) was a poet who flourished in Scotland in the period c. 1460–1500. Counted among the Scots ''makars'', he lived in the royal burgh of Dunfermline and is a distinctive voice in the Northern Renai ...

'' (1865); Andrew of Wyntoun's ''Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland'' (3 vols.; 1872–79); and ''Sir

David Lyndsay Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount (c. 1490 – c. 1555; ''alias'' Lindsay) was a Scottish herald who gained the highest heraldic office of Lyon King of Arms. He remains a well regarded poet whose works reflect the spirit of the Renaissance, speci ...

's Poetical Works'' (3 vols.; 1879). For over 50 years, Laing was a member of the

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body of Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh. The Society's aim is to promote the cultural heritage of Scotland. The usua ...

, and contributed over 100 papers to its ''Proceedings''. He was an original member of and the long-standing secretary to the

Bannatyne Club The Bannatyne Club, named in honour of George Bannatyne and his famous anthology of Scots literature the Bannatyne Manuscript, was a text publication society founded by Sir Walter Scott to print rare works of Scottish interest, whether in history ...

, many of whose publications were edited by him.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Laing, David 1793 births 1878 deaths Scottish antiquarians Scottish librarians Curators from Edinburgh 19th-century Scottish people Scottish bibliographers Burials at the New Calton Burial Ground

Life

Works

References

Further reading

External links