M’DIARMID, a surname derived from Diarmid O’Dwin, the ancestor of the Campbell race, who in the Gaelic language are called Siol Diarmid, the offspring of Diarmid.

M’DIARMID, JOHN, an industrious miscellaneous writer, was born in 1779, at Weem, in Perthshire, of which parish his father was minister. He studied at the universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews, and was for some time tutor in a gentleman’s family. Relinquishing his original design to enter the church, he repaired, in 1801, to London, where he became a contributor to several periodicals, and editor of the St. James’ Chronicle. He was the author of various works, the last of which, written in distress and illness, was ‘Lives of British Statesmen.’ “His whole life,” says D’Israeli, who has introduced him into his ‘Calamities of Authors,’ “was one melancholy trial. Often the day passed cheerfully without its meal, but never without its page.” He died of a paralytic stroke, April 7, 1807. His works are:

      An Inquiry into the System of Military Defence of Great Britain. London, 1803, 2 vols. 8vo. In this work he points out the effects of the volunteer system, and asserts the superiority of a regular army.

      Inquiry into the Nature of Civil and Military Subordination. London, 1804, 8vo.

      Lives of British Statesmen. London, 1806, 4to.

M’DIARMID, JOHN, an eminent journalist. See SUPPLEMENT.