BAXTER, ANDREW, an ingenious metaphysical writer,
the son of a merchant in Old Aberdeen, was born
there in 1686 or 1687. He was educated in King’s
College in his native city, and afterwards became a
private tutor. Among his pupils were the Lords Gray
and Blantyre, and Mr. Hay of Drummelzier. About 1730
he published ‘An Enquiry into the Nature of the
Human Soul,’ wherein its immateriality is evinced
from the principles of reason and philosophy. This
work, which originally appeared without a date, was
praised in high terms by Dr. Warburton. In 1741 he
went abroad with Mr. Hay, having also the charge of
Lord Blantyre, and remained for some years at
Utrecht, his wife and family in the mean time
residing at Berwick-upon-Tweed. On the continent he
contracted a very extensive acquaintance, and could
speak the French, Dutch, and German languages
fluently. He also wrote and read the Italian and
Spanish. It is related of him, that, during the
whole of his residence at Utrecht, he presided at
the ordinary, which was frequented by all the young
English gentlemen there, with much gaiety and
politeness, and in such a manner as gave general
satisfaction. In 1747 he returned to Scotland, and
resided at Whittingham in East Lothian, till his
death, which took place April 23, 1750, aged 63. He
left a widow, the daughter of a clergyman in
Berwickshire, three daughters, and one son. He
wrote, for the use of his pupils, a Latin treatise,
entitled ‘Matho, sive Cosmotheoria puerilis Dialogus,’
which he afterwards translated into English, and
published in two vols. 8vo. In 1750 appeared an
Appendix to his ‘Enquiry into the Nature of the
Human Soul,’ in which he endeavours to answer the
objections that had been advanced against his
notions of the vis inertiae of the matter, by
Mr. Colin Maclaurin, in his ‘Account of Sir Isaac
Newton’s Philosophical Discourses,’ Hume also
controverted his arguments. Mr. Baxter dedicated the
Appendix to his Enquiry to the celebrated John
Wilkes, whose acquaintance he had made on the
continent, and with whom he kept up a correspondence
till within a short time before his death. – He left
many manuscripts behind him, and would gladly have
finished his work upon the human soul. “I own,” says
he, in a letter to Mr. Wilkes, “if it had been the
will of Heaven, I would gladly have lived till I had
put in order the second part of the Enquiry, showing
the immortality of the human soul, but infinite
wisdom cannot be mistaken in calling me sooner. Our
blindness makes us form wishes.” This, indeed, he
considered his capital work.
The following is a list of Andrew Baxter’s
works:
An Enquiry into the Nature of the Human Soul,
wherein its Immateriality is evinced from the
Principles of Reason and Philosophy. Lond. 4to. 2d
edit. 1737, 2 vols. 8vo. 3d edit. 1745, 2 vols. 8vo.
An Appendix to the First Part of the Inquiry into
the Nature of the Human Soul; wherein the Principles
laid down are cleared from some Objections started
against the Notions of the Vis Inertiae of Matter,
by Maclaurin, &c. Lond. 1750, 8vo. Edited by J.
Duncan.
Matho: sive Cosmotheoria Puerilis Dialogus. In
quo Prima Elementa de Mundi ordine et ornatu
proponuntur, &c. Lond. 1740, 2 vols. 8vo. This work
was afterwards greatly enlarged, and published in
English, with the following title, Matho, or the
Cosmotheoria Puerilis, in ten dialogues; wherein,
from the Phenomena of the Material World, briefly
explained, the principles of Natural Religion are
deduced and demonstrated. Lond. 1745, 2 vols. 8vo. A
third edition, 1765, 2 vols. 12mo.
The Rev. Dr. Duncaln of South Warmborough,
published The Evidence of Reason, in proof of the
Immorality of the Soul, independent on the more
abstruse Inquiry into the Nature of Matter and
Spirit. Collected from the MSS. of Mr. Baxter. Lond.
1779, 8vo.
