Tag Archives: 19th century

Dugald Stewart (1753-1828)

About Stewart

  • Professor of moral philosophy at Edinburgh, 1778-1810

Publications, Manuscripts and Other Resources

  • Outlines of Moral Philosophy for the Use of Students in the University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh: W. Creech, 1793) [Many editions into the nineteenth century]
  • Philosophical essays (Edinburgh : William Creech, 1810)
  • The philosophy of the active and moral powers of men  (Edinburgh : London printed for Adam Black, Edinburgh; and Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, London, 1828)
  • Lectures and Letters of Dugald Stewart (1753-1828) [circa 21 mss volumes, some fragile – access may be restricted; includes notes from lectures on moral philosophy] [EUL, various shelfmarks. See details at Archives Hub entry: http://archiveshub.ac.uk/data/gb237-coll-505]
  • Lecture notes of Dugald Stewart by Robert Eden Scott on moral philosophy (1785-1786) [Lecture notes on moral philosophy taken at Edinburgh University] [AUL, MS 190-191]

NPG 1428; Dugald Stewart by John Henning
Dugald Stewart
by John Henning
pencil and chalk, 1811
NPG 1428
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Creative Commons Licence

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

John Bruce (1744-1826)

About Bruce

    • Filled in as Chair of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh to cover for Adam Ferguson in 1774 (ODNB*)
    • Professor of Logic from 1778 at Edinburgh
    • Tutor to Robert Dundas on his Grand Tour (ODNB*)
    • Founding member of the Speculative Society (ODNB*)

NPG D32244; John Bruce by Edward Mitchell, after  Sir Henry Raeburn

John Bruce
by Edward Mitchell, after Sir Henry Raeburn
line engraving, (circa 1794)
NPG D32244
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Creative Commons Licence

Publications, Manuscripts, and other Resources

  • Elements of the science of ethics, on the principles of natural philosophy. By John Bruce, A. M. Professor of Philosophy in the University, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (London: printed for A. Strahan; and T. Cadell, in the Strand; and W. Creech, at Edinburgh, [1786]) ESTC T089429
  • Papers of Professor John Bruce [volumes of lectures on moral philosophy (1770) and a copy of First principles of philosophy, for the use of students (1781) [University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research Collections MSS MS Dc.3.44; Dc.10.3-5]

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

 

Francis Horner (1778-1817)

About Horner

  • Educated at Edinburgh High School (For Horner and his legal contemporaries there see Old and New Edinburgh)
  • Matriculated University of Edinburgh, 1792
  • Studied law in England but corresponded with friends in Scotland about intellectual interests including natural law (Horner, Memoirs 16-18*)
  • Advocate, 1800
  • One of the founders of the Edinburgh Review
  • MP

Natural Law in Horner’s Memoirs

  • ‘Next to law, political philosophy, history and natural jurisprudence are to be my principal objects of pursuit. To these I shall give most of my evenings for six months to come….[T]he last branch is that of natural jurisprudence, where I shall have rather to think for myself than derive much light from books. I understand from Reddie that the best he has met with is a treatise by Cocceius, published in his edition of Grotius. This I shall read, and just as I have time, the work of Grotius himself…’ (Horner, Memoirs 53*)
  • ‘When Grotius, and of course his followers, talk of the law of nature, it is evident that they stagger beween the Roman law, which they knew too familiarly, and the institutions of savage life, which they had not philosophy enough to understand. Who had that was born before Montesquieu?’ (Horner, Memoirs 65*)

NPG 485; Francis Horner by Sir Henry Raeburn

Francis Horner
by Sir Henry Raeburn
oil on canvas, 1812
NPG 485
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Creative Commons Licence

*For references, please see the Site Bibliography.

Timeline: Natural Law in Scotland, 1800-1875

Date
Publication, Appointment, Lecture, or Other Event
1803 Archibald Arthur, Discourses on theological and literary subjects
1814 Dugald Stewart, Dissertation exhibiting the progress of metaphysical, ethical, and political philosophy since the revival of letters in Europe in Collected works, vol 1 (Edinburgh, 1854)
1814 William Paley, The principles of moral and political philosophy (Edinburgh) [orig. London 1785]
1820s ‘Common sense’ philosophy of Reid and Stewart dominates in Scottish universities (Cairns, ‘First’*)
1822 Johann Gottlieb Heineccius, Elementa juris civilis secundum ordinem Institutionum, commoda auditoribvs methodo adornata : nunc ab emblematibus liberata, integritati suæ restituta, notis passim adspersis emendata, correcta, suppleta (Edinburgi: sumptibus Bell et Bradfute et G. Stewart)
1823 Francis Bacon, Exemplum tractatus de fontibus juris, and other Latin pieces of Lord Bacon translated by James Glassford (Edinburgh)
1830 Report of the Royal Commissions into the Scottish Universities of 1826 and 1830 ‘roundly condemned the chair of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations’ at Edinburgh as unsuccessful, impracticable, untaught – a ‘complete failure’ (this is debateable)
1831 Regius Professorship at Edinburgh not filled at death of Robert Hamilton
1835 James Mackintosh, A discourse on the study of the law of nature and nations (Edinburgh) [previously published London, 1799]
1847 Elisha P. Hurlbut, Essays on human rights and their political guaranties (Edinburgh; Glasgow; London) [reviewed in The Scotsman (16 Oct)]
1851 Leoni Levi delivers lecture on ‘Universal Code of Commerce in Connection with the Law of Nature and Nations’ at Merchants’ Hall, Hunter Square, Edinburgh (advertised (22 Mar) and reported in (26 Mar) The Scotsman)
1862 Regius Chair of the Law of Nature and Nations at Edinburgh reinstated with appointment of James Lorimer (-1890)
1863 James Lorimer, An inaugural lecture on the law of nature and nations: delivered in the University of Edinburgh, January 6, 1863 (Edinburgh)
1868 James Lorimer, Reasons for the study of jurisprudence as a science (Edinburgh)
1872 James Lorimer, Institutes of natural law: A treatise of the principles of jurisprudence, as determined by nature (Edinburgh) based on his course

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

George Glennie (d. 1845)

About Glennie

  • James Beattie‘s assistant, successor, and nephew-in-law
  • Chair of moral philosophy at Aberdeen, 1795-1838

Publications, Manuscripts and other Resources

  • [W Officer], ‘Lecture notes on moral philosophy, 1804-1805’ (AUL, MS 3787)

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

James Mylne (1757-1839)

About Mylne

  • Professor of moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow, 1797-1837

Publications, Manuscripts, and other Resources

  • David Murray, ‘John Jardine. Lectures on Botany, 1795. James Mylne. Lectures on Moral Philosophy, 1799’ (University of Glasgow, Special Collections MS Murray 207)
  • ‘Notes on Professor Mylne’s lectures on moral philosophy, Glasgow University, session 1815-16’ (Mitchell Library, Glasgow, MS 586134)
  • ‘Notes taken from Mr. James Mylne’s lectures [on moral philosophy] (1820) Taken by Thomas Mackenzie’ (University of Glasgow, Special Collections MS Gen 466)
  • ‘Notes of lectures on Moral Philosophy, delivered in the University of Glasgow, by James Mylne [c. 1829-30] taken by Charles Wicksteed’, 3 vols. (University of Glasgow, Special Collections MS Gen 97)
  • ‘Notes, of James Mylne’s lectures by Robert Pollok’ [nd] (University of Glasgow, Special Collections MS Gen 1355.100-33)

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

James Mackintosh (1765-1832)

About Mackintosh

  • Studied at Aberdeen and was inspired by James Beattie (ODNB*)
  • Trained as a physician but changed to politics and journalism and later law: called to the English Bar in 1795 (ODNB*)
  • His Discourse on the law of nature and nations was a rejection of his former support for the French Revolution (ODNB*)
  • Was a judge in Bombay from 1803 to 1811 (ODNB*)
  • Rector of Glasgow University, 1823-1825

Publications, Manuscripts, and other Resources

  • James Mackintosh, A discourse on the study of the law of nature and nations; Introductory to a course on that science, to be commenced in Lincoln’s Inn Hall, On Wednesday, Feb. 13, 1799, in pursuance of an order of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn (London: Printed for T. Cadell et al, 1799)
  • James Mackintosh, A discourse on the study of the law of nature and nations, 2nd edn (London: Henry Goode and Co. Sold by T. Clark, Edinburgh; and Wardlaw and Co. Glasgow, 1828; repr. in The cabinet library of scarce and celebrated tracts, no. 1 (Edinburgh: Thomas Clark, 1835; repr. 1838) Available from Project Gutenburg.)

NPG 45; Sir James Mackintosh by Sir Thomas Lawrence

Sir James Mackintosh
by Sir Thomas Lawrence
oil on canvas, exhibited 1804
NPG 45
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Creative Commons Licence

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

Hercules Scott (d. 1860)

About Scott

  • Professor of moral philosophy at Aberdeen, 1821-1859

Publications, Manuscripts, and other Resources

  • Papers of and relating to Hercules Scott (Aberdeen University Library, Special Collections MS 2769/II/103)
  • Lectures (Aberdeen University Library, Special Collections MS 196-197)

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.

Robert Heron (1764-1807)

About Heron

Teaching

  • ‘In 1790–91 he announced a course of lectures entitled the ‘Law of nature, the law of nations, the Jewish, the Grecian, the Roman and the canon law, and then on the feudal law’, intended as an introduction to the study of law, but the scheme was unsuccessful.’ (ODNB*)

Publications, Manuscripts and Other Resources

  • Abstract of a course of lectures on law, natural and positive. By Robert Heron. (Edinburgh: sold by Bell and Bradfute, W. Creech, A. Guthrie, Arch. Constable, and H. Mitchel, 1797.) [2],63,[1]p. ;  8⁰. (ESTC)

*For references, see the Site Bibliography.