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Significant Scots
John MacDiarmid |
MACDIARMID, JOHN, a miscellaneous writer, was born in
the year 1779. He was the son of the Rev. Mr Macdiarmid, minister of
Weem, in Perthshire. After studying at the universities of Edinburgh and
St Andrews, and acting for some time as tutor to a gentleman’s family,
he proceeded, in 1801, to London, for the purpose of prosecuting a
literary career. He soon obtained lucrative employment as a writer in
periodical works, and became editor of the St James’ Chronicle, a
newspaper in which some of the first scholars and wits of former years
were accustomed to employ their pens. On the renewal of the war with
France, in 1802-3, the attention of Mr Macdiarmid was attracted to the
system of national defence which had been adopted, and he forsook his
other employments to devote himself to a work of a very elaborate
character, which appeared in 1803, in two volumes 8vo, under the title
of "An Inquiry into the System of Military Defence of Great Britain." He
aimed at exposing the defects of the volunteer system, as well as of all
temporary expedients, and asserted the superiority of a regular army.
His next work was an "Inquiry into the Nature of Civil and Military,
Subordination," 1804, 8vo, perhaps the fullest disquisition which the
subject has received. Being thus favourably introduced to public notice
as a general writer, he began to aim at higher objects, but, it would
appear, without properly calculating his own physical capabilities. Mr
D’Israeli, who saw him at this time, and who had afterwards the
melancholy task of introducing his case into the work called "The
Calamities of Authors," describes him as "of a tender frame, emaciated,
and study-worn, with hollow eyes, where the mind dimly shene, like a
lamp in a tomb. With keen ardour," says the historian of literary
disaster, "he opened a new plan of biographical politics. When, by one
who wished the author and his style were in better condition, the
dangers of excess in study were brought to his recollection, he smiled,
and, with something of a mysterious air, talked of unalterable
confidence in the powers of his mind—of the indefinite improvement in
our faculties; and although his frame was not athletic, he considered
himself capable of trying it to the extremity. His whole life, indeed,
was one melancholy trial: often the day passed cheerfully without its
meal, but never without its page." Under the impulse of this
incontrollable enthusiasm, Mr Macdiarmid composed his "Lives of British
Statesmen," beginning with Sir Thomas More. For the publication, he was
indebted to a friend, who, when the author could not readily procure a
publisher, could not see even the dying author’s last hopes
disappointed. The work has obtained a reputation of no mean order. "Some
research and reflection," says Mr D’Israeli, "are combined in this
literary and civil history of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries."—"The style," according to another critic, "is perspicuous
and unaffected; authorities are quoted for every statement of
consequence, and a variety of curious information is extracted from
voluminous records, and brought for the first time into public view. His
political speculations were always temperate and liberal. He was indeed
in all respects qualified for a work of this description, by great power
of research and equal impartiality." The poor author was destined to
enjoy, for a short time only, the approbation with which his work was
received. His health sustained, in November, 1807, an irreparable blow
by a paralytic stroke; and a second attack in February, 1808, proved
fatal, April 7. |
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