James Beattie

James Beattie was a Scottish poet, moralist, and philosopher born in Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, on October 25, 1735. He died in Aberdeen on August 18, 1803. Educated at Marischal College, he began his career as a schoolmaster and later became an usher at the Aberdeen grammar school. In 1760, he was appointed Professor of Moral Philosophy at Marischal College, a position he held until 1797. Beattie gained significant fame for his work "An Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth" (1770), which was an answer to David Hume and led to introductions to King George III, a pension, and an LL.D. from Oxford. His poem "The Minstrel" (1771 and 1774) also brought him considerable acclaim, earning praise from Samuel Johnson. Beattie was a vocal opponent of slavery, notably in his "Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth" and "Elements of Moral Science" (1790–93), using the case of Dido Belle to advocate for the intellectual capabilities of black individuals. He was also an amateur cellist and wrote an essay on music philosophy. Beattie co-founded the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783 and was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1786. His personal life was marked by tragedy, including the madness of his wife and the deaths of his two sons. Despite his philosophical contributions being later assessed negatively by Immanuel Kant, Beattie remains remembered for his poetry and his anti-slavery stance. He is depicted on the Scott Monument in Edinburgh.