William Tait (1793–1864) was a 19th century Scottish publisher, based in

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

. He was best known for ''

Tait's Magazine ''Tait's Edinburgh Magazine'' was a monthly periodical founded in 1832. It was an important venue for liberal political views, as well as contemporary cultural and literary developments, in early-to-mid-nineteenth century Britain. The magazine wa ...

''.

Life

The grave of William Tait, St Cuthberts Churchyard, Edinburgh

The eldest son of Isabella Bertram and her husband, James Tait (1762–1834), an architect in

, he was born there on 11 May 1793. After a short time at 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 1 ...

, he was articled to a writer to the signet. Giving up on a legal career, by 1818 he had opened a bookshop at 78

Princes Street, Edinburgh Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...

with his brother Charles Bertram Tait, and shortly afterwards began publishing. In 1833, Tait was elected to the first reformed town council of Edinburgh, and in the same year was sent to gaol for four days on 10 August for refusing to pay

church rates The church rate was a tax formerly levied in each parish in England and Ireland for the benefit of the parish church. The rates were used to meet the costs of carrying on divine service, repairing the fabric of the church and paying the salaries o ...

, which were then a target in radical circles. His shop was a meeting-place and it is told that

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy ...

and

Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, ...

were present at the same time without managing to meet. At this time he lived at 2, Walker Street in Edinburgh's West End. In 1837, Tait was part of a group who helped create the

Political Martyrs' Monument The Political Martyrs Monument, located in the Old Calton Burial Ground on Calton Hill, Edinburgh, commemorates five political reformists from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Designed by Thomas Hamilton and erected in 1844, it is a tall ...

at Old Calton Burial Ground. Tait retired from business in 1848, and bought the estate of Prior Bank, near

Melrose Melrose may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Melrose, Scottish Borders, a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland ** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery ** Melrose RFC, rugby club Australia * Melrose, Queensland, a locality in the South Burnett R ...

, where he died on 4 October 1864. He is buried with his parents in St Cuthbert's Churchyard in Edinburgh at the west end of

Princes Street Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (thr ...

. The grave lies on an outer wall of the southern extension.

Works

Tait's major publications were: Thomas Brown's ''Philosophy of the Human Mind'';

's ''German Romance''; the collected edition of

Jeremy Bentham Jeremy Bentham (; 15 February 1748 ld Style and New Style dates, O.S. 4 February 1747– 6 June 1832) was an English philosopher, jurist, and social reformer regarded as the founder of modern utilitarianism. Bentham defined as the "fundam ...

's works, and

Patrick Fraser Tytler Patrick Fraser Tytler FRSE FSA(Scot) (30 August 179124 December 1849) was a Scottish advocate and historian. He was described as the "Episcopalian historian of a Presbyterian country". Life The son of Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhous ...

's ''History of Scotland''. ''Tait's Edinburgh Magazine'' appeared in April 1832, and was issued monthly until December 1864. It was a literary and political magazine, its radical politics being its special feature, and giving it influence in Scotland, where it had for some time a larger circulation than any of its competitors. In 1834, it was reduced in price from 2s/6d (12.5p) to 1''s'' (5p). At first, Tait was editor, but from 1834, when his magazine incorporated ''Johnstone’s'', he used

Christian Isobel Johnstone Christian Isobel Johnstone (1781–1857) was a prolific journalist and author in Scotland in the nineteenth century. She was a significant early feminist and an advocate of other liberal causes in her era. She wrote anonymously, and under the pseud ...

. Contributors included

Thomas De Quincey Thomas Penson De Quincey (; 15 August 17858 December 1859) was an English writer, essayist, and literary critic, best known for his '' Confessions of an English Opium-Eater'' (1821). Many scholars suggest that in publishing this work De Quinc ...

Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 178428 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, essayist and poet. Hunt co-founded '' The Examiner'', a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles. He was the centre ...

Harriet Martineau Harriet Martineau (; 12 June 1802 – 27 June 1876) was an English social theorist often seen as the first female sociologist, focusing on race relations within much of her published material.Michael R. Hill (2002''Harriet Martineau: Theoretic ...

John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, Member of Parliament (MP) and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism, he contributed widely to ...

, and politicians such as Richard Cobden and

John Bright John Bright (16 November 1811 – 27 March 1889) was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, one of the greatest orators of his generation and a promoter of free trade policies. A Quaker, Bright is most famous for battling the Corn La ...

who sympathised with the opinions of the magazine.

References

* ;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Tait, William 1793 births 1864 deaths Publishers (people) from Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish tax resisters Businesspeople from Edinburgh 19th-century British businesspeople