Professor
James Beattie (October 25, 1735, Laurencekirk—August 18, 1803, Aberdeen) was a Scottish scholar and writer.
He was born the son of a shopkeeper and small farmer at Laurencekirk in the Mearns, and educated at Aberdeen University. In 1760, he was appointed Professor of moral philosophy there as a result of the interest of his intimate friend, Robert Arbuthnot of Haddo. In the following year he published a volume of poems,
The Judgment of Paris (1765), which attracted attention. The two works, however, which brought him most fame were:
- His Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth (1770), intended as an answer to David Hume, which had great immediate success, and led to an introduction to the King, a pension of £200, and the degree of LL.D. from Oxford; and
- his poem of The Minstrel, of which the first book was published in 1771 and the second in 1774, and which constitutes his true title to remembrance, winning him the praise of Samuel Johnson. It contains much beautiful descriptive writing.
Beattie was prominent in arguing against the institution of slavery, notably in his
Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth and
Elements of Moral Science.
Beattie underwent much domestic sorrow in the death of his wife and two promising sons, which broke down his own health and spirits.
"Ah, who can tell how hard it is to climb the steep where Fame's proud temple shines afar?""And beauty immortal awakes from the tomb.""At the close of the day when the hamlet is still, and mortals the sweets of forgetfulness prove, when naught but the torrent is heard on the hill, and naught but the nightingale's song in the grove.""Be ignorance thy choice, where knowledge leads to woe.""From labour health, from health contentment spring; contentment opes the source of every joy.""He thought as a sage, though he felt like a man.""How sweet the words of Truth, breathed from the lips of Love.""In every age and every man there is something to praise as well as to blame.""Inflexible in faith, invincible in arms.""Some deemed him wondrous wise, and some believed him mad."