Thomas Ruddiman facts for kids

Thomas Ruddiman in 1749.

The grave of Thomas Ruddiman in Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Thomas Ruddiman was an important Scottish scholar who lived from October 1674 to January 19, 1757. He was known as a classical scholar, which means he was an expert in the languages, history, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. He also had a big impact as a printer and publisher.

Thomas Ruddiman's Life Story

Thomas Ruddiman was born on a farm near a place called Boyndie in Banffshire, Scotland. His father was a farmer.

Early Education and Career

He went to school nearby and then studied at the University of Aberdeen. After finishing university in 1695, he became a schoolmaster in a town called Laurencekirk. This was his first job helping others learn.

In 1700, a doctor named Archibald Pitcairne helped him get a job in Edinburgh. Thomas became an assistant at the Advocates' Library, which was a very important library.

Building a Business

Thomas Ruddiman was very ambitious. In 1715, he started his own printing business, which became very successful. Printing was a big deal back then, like having a major tech company today!

Because of his success, in 1728, he was chosen to be the official printer for the University of Edinburgh. This was a huge honor. He also bought a newspaper called the Caledonian Mercury in 1729, which meant he was involved in spreading news and information.

In 1730, he became the head of the Advocates' Library, where he had started as an assistant. He held this important position until he retired in 1752.

Where He is Buried

Thomas Ruddiman is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. This is a famous old graveyard. A monument was put up for him in 1801 by his relative, Dr. William Ruddiman.

His Family and Relatives

Thomas Ruddiman was married to Anna Smith, who lived from 1694 to 1769.

His nephew, Walter Ruddiman, also became a successful printer and publisher in Edinburgh. He followed in his uncle's footsteps!

Thomas Ruddiman's Important Works

Thomas Ruddiman was famous for his many books and projects. He edited and published works by other scholars and also wrote his own important books.

Early Publications

Some of his first works included editing books by other writers. For example, he worked on De Animi Tranquillitate Dialogus by Florentius Volusenus in 1707. He also edited Cantici Solomonis Paraphrasis Poetica by Arthur Johnston in 1709.

When his friend Dr. Pitcairne passed away, Thomas helped edit his Latin poems. He also helped arrange for Dr. Pitcairne's valuable library to be sold to Peter the Great, the Emperor of Russia.

Famous Latin Grammar Book

In 1714, Thomas Ruddiman published a book called Rudiments of the Latin Tongue. This book was incredibly popular and was used in Scottish schools for a very long time to teach students Latin. It helped many generations learn the language of the ancient Romans.

Editing George Buchanan's Works

One of his biggest projects was editing the works of George Buchanan in 1715. Buchanan was another famous Scottish scholar. Thomas Ruddiman was a Jacobite, which meant he supported the Stuart royal family. Buchanan, however, had more liberal (or freedom-focused) ideas. Because of their different views, Ruddiman added his own comments and criticisms to Buchanan's work.

This caused a bit of a stir! A group of scholars in Edinburgh even formed a society to defend Buchanan from Ruddiman's criticisms. But even with all the arguments, Ruddiman's edition of Buchanan's works is still considered the standard version today.

Other Contributions

Thomas Ruddiman also helped with many other important books:

• He edited Gavin Douglas's translation of Virgil's Aeneid in 1710. This included a large dictionary of older Scottish words.
• He finished and edited Selectus Diplomatum et Numismatum Scotiae Thesaurus by James Anderson in 1739. This was a collection of old Scottish documents and coins.
• He created the Catalogue of the Advocates' Library from 1733 to 1742.
• He produced a famous edition of the Roman historian Livy in 1751.
• He also assisted Joseph Ames with his book Typographical Antiquities, which was about the history of printing.

Thomas Ruddiman was considered the leading scholar in Scotland for many years. Even Dr. Johnson, a very famous English writer, recognized Ruddiman's importance. When someone suggested writing Ruddiman's life story, Dr. Johnson said he would be happy to help "do honour to him."