Alexander Carlyle MA DD

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...

(26 January 172228 August 1805) was a Scottish church leader, and autobiographer. He served as

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every year. After chairing the Ass ...

in 1770/71.

Life

He was born on 26 January 1722 in the manse at Cummertrees the son of Rev Willam Carlyle, the local minister. The family moved to Prestonpans in 1724. He was educated in Prestonpans then studied first at Edinburgh University then

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

before finalising his studies at Leyden University in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

which was famed for its teaching of

Theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

. He graduated MA from Edinburgh in 1743. He was a witness to the aftermath of the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 where he was part of the government militia, the Edinburgh Volunteers. He had spent the night in his father's nearby manse, but missed the battle itself as it was over by the time he got dressed. He went to the assistance of the wounded on the battlefield, and found the officers of the Highland army "gentleman-like and very civil. He was licensed to preach as a

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...

minister by the Presbytery of Prestonpans in July 1746. He was originally presented to the congregation of

Cockburnspath Cockburnspath ( ) is a village in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. It lies near the North Sea coast between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar. Cockburnspath is the eastern terminus of the Southern Upland Way as well as the northern terminus of ...

but declined this role. In February 1748, under patronage of the Duke of Buccleuch, he was presented to the congregation of Inveresk and was formally ordained there in August 1748. From 1748, until his death he was minister at Inveresk in

Midlothian Midlothian (; ) is registration county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh council ar ...

(south west of Prestonpans). In 1756 he incurred the anger of the Presbytery of Dalkeith and the General Assembly for his involvement in the editing of John Home's '' Douglas'' and in its theatre production in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. He was present at its premiere on 15 December 1756. During his long career he rose to high eminence in the

as leader of the moderate or "broad" Church section. This was recognised in an honorary Doctor of Divinity granted by King's College, Aberdeen in 1760. In 1770 he succeeded Rev James MacKnight as

, being succeeded by Rev Robert Walker in 1771. In July 1785 he was made Dean of the Chapel Royal. In 1789 he was elected Principal Clerk of the General Assembly in opposition to Andrew Dalzell. He was associated with Principal Robertson as an ecclesiastical leader. His strikingly ruddy complexion earned him the nickname of Jupiter Carlyle. His autobiography, which was edited by Hill Burton, and published 1860, though written in his closing years and not extending beyond the year 1770, is interesting as a picture of Scottish life, social and ecclesiastical, in the 18th century. Carlyle's autobiography recalled the Porteous Riots of 1736, and his friendship with

Adam Smith Adam Smith (baptised 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the field of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as the "father of economics"——— or ...

David Hume David Hume (; born David Home; – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist who was best known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical scepticism and metaphysical naturalism. Beg ...

Charles Townshend Charles Townshend (27 August 1725 – 4 September 1767) was a British politician who held various titles in the Parliament of Great Britain. His establishment of the controversial Townshend Acts is considered one of the key causes of the Amer ...

and John Home, the dramatist, for witnessing the performance of whose

tragedy A tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a tragic hero, main character or cast of characters. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsi ...

''Douglas'' he was censured in 1757. He was also a member of The Select Society and of The Poker Club. He was a founder member of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

in November 1783. He died on 25 August 1805 and was buried in Inveresk churchyard on 28 August.

Family

In October 1760 Alexander married Mary Roddam (1743-1804) daughter of Robert Roddam of Heathpool in

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

. Their three daughters and one son each died young. On death Carlyle bequeathed his belongings to his nephew, Carlyle Bell.

Publications

*Reasons for applying to the King for Attgmentation of Stipend (Edinburgh, 1748) *An Argument to prove that the Tragedy of "Douglas" ought to be Burnt by the Hands of the Hangman (Edinburgh, 1757) *Faction Detected (1763) *Four single Sermons (Edinburgh, 1767-97) *Auto-biography (Edinburgh, 1860; republished Edinburgh, 1910) *Prologue to Herminius and Espasia (Edinburgh, 1754) *Statistical Account of Inveresk

Bibliography

*Dunbar Presb. Reg. *Scots Mag., li., lxvii. *Kay's Portr., ii. *Cockburn's Mem.

Notes

References