some years in his own name, he took his nephew into partnership, and established the house of Adam and Charles Black. On the failure of Archibald Constable & Co. in 1827 the firm acquired the copyright of the ‘Encyclopædia Britannica,’ the seventh and eighth editions of this important work being undertaken while he was head of the firm. In 1851 they purchased from the representatives of Mr. Cadell, for 27,000l., the copyright of Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley novels and other works, which they immediately began to issue in editions suited to all classes of the community with remarkable success.
Very soon after he settled in Edinburgh he began, at considerable risk to his business prospects to take a prominent part in burgh and ganeral politics as it liberal politician. As a member of the Merchant Company, of which he was elected master in 1831, his energetic advocacy of a thoroughgoing measure of burgh reform was of great assistance in hastening the downfall of close corporations, and in regard to the Corporations and Test Acts his procedure was equally uncompromising. Having become a member of the first town council of Edinburgh after the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832, he was chosen treasurer of the city at the time of its liquidation, and materially assisted in arranging its affairs. He was twice elected lord provost, and on account of his successful administration of the affairs of the city at this critical period, 1843-8, received the offer of knighthood, which he declined. In all prominent public schemes connected with the city he took an active interest, and on the foundation of the well-known Philosophical Institution in 1845 was elected its first president. He was instrumental in introducing Macaulay to the electors of Edinburgh, and, when the latter was elevated to the peerage in 1856, succeeded him as member for the city, which he continued to represent till 1865. His practical shrewdness and straightforward honesty secured him the special confidence of the leaders of the liberal party in parliament, by whom he was much consulted in matters relating to Scotland. He died in Edinburgh, in his ninetieth year, 24 Jan. 1874. By his wife, the sister of William Tait, of ‘Tait’s Magazine,' he left issue, and he was succeeded by his sons in the business of A. & C. Black. In recognition of his services to Edinburgh a bronze statue was in 1877 erected to his memory in East Prince's Street Gardens,
[Scotsman, 26 Jan. 1874; Men of the Time, 8th ed.; Crombie's Modern Albanians, ed. Scott Douglas (1882), pp. 179-B3; Trevelyan’s Life of Lord Macaulay; Nicolson's! Memoirs of Adam Black (1885).]
BLACK, ALEXANDER, D.D. (1789–1864), Scottish theologian, was born in Aberdeen in 1789, where his father, John Black, owned a few fields and carried on the business of a gardener. He was educated at the grammar school and Marischal College, and after studying medicine devoted himself to preparation for the ministry. His abilities and application to study were so remarkable that, when a vacancy occurred in the chair of divinity in King's College, Aberdeen, he offered himself as a candidate, and went through the examinations prescribed to the applicants. His fellow-candidates were the late Dr. Mearns, then minister of Tarves, who was successful, and the late Dr. Love, of Glasgow. Young Black, though unsuccessful, attracted the attention of the Earl of Aberdeen, who on the promotion of Dr. Mearns to the chair presented him to the parish of Tarves, and there Black wus ordained in 1818. From Tarves Black was transferred to Aberdeen in 1832 as professor of divinity in Marischal College. His great powers as a linguist and his very large and particular acquaintance with rabinical literature cnused him to be selected in 1839 by a committee of the general assembly, along with the Rev. Dr. Keith, St. Cyrus, Rev. R. M. McCheyne, Dundee, and Rev. A. A. Bonar, Collace, to go to the East to make inquiries as to the expediency of beginning a mission to the Jews. After a good many difficulties and trials Black and his brethren returned to Scotland, and an interesting report of their mission was presented to the general assembly. At the disruption in 1843, joining the Free church, he gave up his chair at Aberdeen and removed to Edinburgh, where he was connected with the New College. Referring to the linguistic powers of Black and his colleague, Dr. John Duncan (Colloquia Peripatetica), Dr. Guthrie used to say that ‘they could speak their way to the wall of China;’ yet no corresponding products of their learning were given to the public. Black published a ‘Letter on the Exegetical Study of the Scriptures to the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church.’ He also contributed a discourse to the volume on the ‘Inauguration of the New College.’ He died at Edinburgh in January 1864.
[Report of a Mission of Inquiry to the Jews in 1839, by Rev. A. A. Bonar; Scott's Fasti; letter to the writer from Mr. Alexander Black, son of the subject of this notice]
BLACK, JAMES (1788?–1867), physician, was born in Scotland about 1788. He was admitted a licentiate of the Edinburgh
