Macvey Napier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Macvey Napier
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| Born |
Napier Macvey
11 April 1776 |
| Died | 11 February 1847 (aged 70) |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation | Writer to the Signet, editor |
Macvey Napier (born Napier Macvey) was a Scottish lawyer and an important editor. He lived from 1776 to 1847. He was known for editing the famous Encyclopædia Britannica and was also a professor at the University of Edinburgh. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London (FRS).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Macvey Napier was born on 12 April 1776 in Kirkintilloch, Scotland. His father, John Macvey, was a merchant in the town. His mother's last name was Napier.
He studied law at the University of Glasgow and then at the University of Edinburgh. These studies prepared him for a career in law and writing.
Career as an Editor
In 1798, Macvey Napier became friends with a publisher named Archibald Constable. Constable later asked Napier to write for the Edinburgh Review, a well-known magazine. Napier started writing for it in 1805.
He became an editor of the Edinburgh Review in 1814. From 1829, he became the main editor of the magazine. He was very good at finding smart and important people to write for the Encyclopædia Britannica. He helped create the 6th and 7th editions of this huge book.
Legal and Academic Roles
From 1805 to 1837, Macvey Napier worked as the Librarian for the Signet Library in Edinburgh. This was a special law library for lawyers.
He also taught about legal conveyancing. This is the process of legally transferring land and property from one person to another. He lectured on this topic from 1816 to 1824. In 1825, he became a professor of conveyancing at the University of Edinburgh.
Honours and Later Life
Macvey Napier was recognized for his achievements. In 1812, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 1817, he was inducted into the Royal Society of London, which is a very old and respected scientific society.
In the 1830s, he lived at 39 Castle Street in Edinburgh's New Town. This house was once the home of the famous writer Sir Walter Scott.
Macvey Napier passed away in Edinburgh on 11 February 1847. He is buried in St John's Episcopal Churchyard in Edinburgh.
Family Life
Macvey Napier married Catharine Skene in 1797. They had a large family with seven sons and three daughters.
Several of his sons became notable in their own right:
- One son, also named Macvey, helped publish his father's papers.
- Alexander became a vicar (a type of priest).
- David Skene was a merchant in Singapore. He gave George Drumgoole Coleman, a famous architect, his first important job to build a large house in 1826.
- William became a lawyer in Singapore in 1833.
See also
- Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary
