BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 473
No, CCCXXIX?
ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE, ESQ.
THE illustrious citizen of Edinburgh here represented has, not without good
claim, been styled “ the Prince of Publishers.” He was born on the 24th
February 1774 in the parish of Carnbee, Fifeshire, where his father was a
farmer and manager of the estates of the Earl of Kellie. He was descended of
good family, and there was even a trace of nobility in his blood, at all events
it may fairly be said that he inherited a noble soul. Like most geniuses who
have risen from comparative obscurity to fame and fortune, he gave early
indication of the bent of his mind, and after attending the parish school (the
only education he seems to have received) he was at his own request apprenticed
to Mr. Peter Hill, a bookseller in Edinburgh of considerable standing, who, with
other advantages, could boast of being one of the friends and correspondents of
Burns. He had no sooner commenced his duties than he showed an enthusiasm
for everything connected with books, so much so that his master entrusted him
with tasks much more important than usually fall to the lot of a beginner.
At Hatton House, Midlothian, a seat of the Earl of Lauderdale, he was employed
to catalogue a valuable library (a description of work for which he showed an
early aptitude), and here it seems his natural love of old books first got vent.
The term of apprenticeship, usually dull and monotonous, seems with him to have
been one of cheerful activity and progress, and instead of leaving his master
on its termination he remained with him a year longer as clerk He then
resolved to set up business on his own account, not, however, until he had taken
the important preliminary step of settling down as a married man. This was
in the year 1795. His shop was well chosen and classic ground, being situated
on the north side of the High Street, nearly opposite the Old Cross-a site
formerly occupied by Andrew Hart, the famous printer, and more recently by
Kincaid and Creech, both notable bibliopoles who had attained to the highest
civic honours of the city. The place was in those days a sort of lounge for literary
men, from its contiguity to the Cross and the Parliament House, not to speak
of some highly-favoured taverns in the adjoining closes, which were then the
resort of the choice spirits of the day. Here he was not slow to form many
literary connections, and to lay the foundation of a business that rapidly
assumed gigantic proportions. It is impossible in a short notice like this to
enter into the details of the numerous literary works which he projected and
carried out. The first of these, appropriate enough considering his agricultural
antecedents, was the Famner’s Magazine ; the second, characteristic of his love of
Scotch literature, was the Scots Magazine; and the third and crowning periodical
work was the world-renowned Edinburgh Beview, the first number of which ap-
VOL 11. 3 P
474 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
peared on the 10th October 1S02. His intimacy with Sir Walter Scott, which
continued until death with little interruption, was attended by large results. The
first work that was the harbinger of a series of literary productions destined to
astonish the world was the Minstrelsy of the Xcottish Border, which appeared in
January 1802, and the publication of which he shared with Messrs. Longman
of London. This was afterwards followed up by the other poems, and by the
Waverley Novels. Besides these there were books of a more solid and learned
character which engaged his attention. Among them were that useful work of
reference The Annual Register, and the philosophical and scientific works of Dugald
Stewart, Brown, Playfair, and Leslie (all of whom were friends and habitues of
the High Street rendezvous), and last, though not least, came the Encyclopcedia
Brilannica, the copyright of which he purchased in 1812. This great work was
as yet in its infancy, but he added six supplementary volumes containing the
celebrated scientific dissertation by Stewart, Playfair, and Brande. He took
special interest in Scottish literature, and issued many rare works in t,hat
department including those of his friend Sir John Graham Dalzell, of whom
Kay has given a biography in this volume. Passing over many other literary
adventures, it may be sufficient here to notice one of his latest projects, Constable’s
Miscellany, a work set on foot in 1825, and intended to popularise wholesome
literature-a result it attained with no small measure of success. It was soon
after this that the cloud of pecuniary difficulties which had been gathering overhead
culminated and broke, obliging the firm to stop payment under a pressure
of liabilities exceeding 3250,000. How such a calamity could have befallen so
fair a structure it is difficult to conjecture. Possibly it can be accounted for by
the supposition that the huge vessel was overweighted, and sunk under the
burden of its precious cargo-a cargo the dismembered portions of which were
sufficient to enrich others who succeeded to them. But the architect does not
always live t,o see the accomplishment of his great design. So Constable was
doomed to take the last view of his splendidly constructed business with feelings
of disappointment. From this time his health gave way, the hitherto robust
frame broke up, and he died of a dropsical complaint, from which he had for some
time suffered, at his house in Park Place on the 21st July 1827. His death
was felt as a great blow to Edinburgh, as shown by the numerous obituary
notices which appeared after his decease, and from one of which we make the
following extract :-
“We are concerned to learn that Mr. Constable, our late eminent Publisher, who had for
some time suffered severely under a dropsical complaint, expired suddenly, at his house in Park
Place, on the afternoon of Saturday. This event has, we confess, excited in our minds a train
of melancholy recollections and regrets ; and we cannot refrain from thus publicly expressing
our respect for the memory of a man who, notwithstanding the disastrous termination of his
professional career, must long be remembered as a liberal friend of literary merit, and active
promoter of those literary enterprises which, during the last twenty-five years, have redounded
so much to the advantage and fame of this city. We do not scruple to say, that we have
nationality enough to have derived B lively satisfaction from seeing it become an object of
desire among the literati of the south to contribute to its literary undertakings, and to resort to
it as an advantageous mart of publication ; and, convinced BS we are, that this was in no small
