Macvey Napier (born Napier Macvey) (11 April 1776 – 11 February 1847) was a Scottish solicitor, legal scholar, and an editor of the ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The ( Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various ...

''. He was Professor of Conveyancing at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

Life

Macvey was born on 12 April 1776 in

Kirkintilloch Kirkintilloch (; sco, Kirkintulloch; gd, Cair Cheann Tulaich) is a town and former barony burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal and on the south side of Strathkelvin, about northeast of central Glasgow. ...

the son of John Macvey a merchant in the town. His mother's maiden name was Napier. He studied law first at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

the at the University of Edinburgh before befriending the publisher

Archibald Constable Archibald David Constable (24 February 1774 – 21 July 1827) was a Scottish publisher, bookseller and stationer. Life Constable was born at Carnbee, Fife, son of the land steward to the Earl of Kellie. In 1788 Archibald was apprenticed to P ...

in 1798. Constable later asked Napier to write for the ''

Edinburgh Review The ''Edinburgh Review'' is the title of four distinct intellectual and cultural magazines. The best known, longest-lasting, and most influential of the four was the third, which was published regularly from 1802 to 1929. ''Edinburgh Review'' ...

'' with articles beginning from 1805 and became an editor in 1814. He in turn recruited several eminent authorities to write in the 6th edition and its supplement, as well as in the 7th edition of the ''Britannica''. He was editor of the ''Review'' from 1829. From 1805 to 1837 he acted as Librarian to the

Signet Library Signet may refer to: * Signet, Kenya, A subsidiary of the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), specifically set up to broadcast and distribute the DTT signals * Signet ring, a ring with a seal set into it, typically by leaving an impression in se ...

, the law library for Edinburgh solicitors. From 1816 to 1824 he lectured in legal

conveyancing In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of real property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien. A typical conveyancing transaction has two major phases: the exchange of contr ...

, and in 1825 became a professor of conveyancing at the University of Edinburgh. He was inducted into the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, r ...

of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge in 1817 In 1812 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh 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 established i ...

. In 1817 he had a public fall out with

Professor John Wilson John Wilson of Elleray FRSE (18 May 1785 – 3 April 1854) was a Scottish advocate, literary critic and author, the writer most frequently identified with the pseudonym Christopher North of ''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine''. He was prof ...

in a series of letters published in

Blackwood's Magazine ''Blackwood's Magazine'' was a British magazine and miscellany printed between 1817 and 1980. It was founded by the publisher William Blackwood and was originally called the ''Edinburgh Monthly Magazine''. The first number appeared in April 18 ...

under the title of ''Hypocrisy Unveiled''. In 1829 he replaced

Francis Jeffrey Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (23 October 1773 – 26 January 1850) was a Scottish judge and literary critic. Life He was born at 7 Charles Street near Potterow in south Edinburgh, the son of George Jeffrey, a clerk in the Court of Session ...

as principal editor of ''The Edinburgh Review''. In the 1830s he is listed as living and operating from 39 Castle Street in Edinburgh's New Town, a 3-storey townhouse within a four-storey and attic block. It was previously the home of

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy ...

. He died in Edinburgh on 11 February 1847, and is buried in

St John's Episcopal Churchyard The Church of St John the Evangelist is a Scottish Episcopal church in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is sited at the west end of Princes Street at its junction with Lothian Road, and is protected as a category A listed building. Backgro ...

at the east end of

Princes Street Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (thre ...

Family

Napier married Catharine Skene (d.1828) in 1797 and they had seven sons and three daughters. One son, Macvey, edited his father's papers for publication;Selections from the correspondence of the late Macvey Napier, ed. M. Napier (1879)
/ref> Alexander became vicar of Holkham, Norfolk; John died in the West Indies; David Skene was a merchant in Singapore and gave

George Coleman George Edward Coleman (born March 8, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist known for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s. In 2015, he was named an NEA Jazz Master. Early life Coleman was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was ...

his first important commission to build a large Palladian residence in 1826; and

William William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conq ...

went to Singapore as a lawyer in 1833.

Works

* * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Napier, Macvey 1776 births 1847 deaths Contributors to the Encyclopædia Britannica Fellows of the Royal Society Scottish solicitors People from Kirkintilloch Principal Clerks of Session and Justiciary Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Scottish encyclopedists Scottish book editors Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish librarians Academics of the University of Edinburgh 19th-century Scottish historians Scottish legal scholars Historians of England Scottish biographers Scottish magazine editors

Life

Family

Works

See also

References