His 'Notes of Ben Jonson's Conversations with Drummond of Hawthoraden' (Shakespeare Society) appeared in 1842, and his edition of Sir Gilbert Hay's 'Buke of the Order of Knighthood' in 1847. Another inedited work of Sir John Lauder, his 'Historical Notices of Scottish Affairs from 1661 to 1688,' was published by him in 1848. In 1849 he issued to the members of the Abbotsford Club two volumes of ancient poetry from the Auchinleck Manuscript: 'Sirre Degarre, a Metrical Romance of the end of the Thirteenth Century,' and ' A Penniworth of Witte; Florice and Blauncheflour,' &c. These were followed by two volumes of 'Original Letters relating to the Ecclesiastical Affairs of Scotland, 1603-23' (Bannatyne Club, 1851), and Lodge's 'Defence of Poetry, Music, and Stage Plays,' &c. (Shakespeare Society, 1853).
In 1854 Laing was elected honorary professor of antiquities to the Royal Scottish Academy. In 1855 he issued a volume of etchings' (1773-9) by John Clerk of Eldin [q. v.], to which he prefixed an account of the artist, for the Bannatyne Club, and wrote the preface to Mr. Blew's edition of the 'Aberdeen Breviary.' In 1856 he edited the 'Letters of John Colville, 1582-1603,' and, conjointly with Mr. Macknight, 'Memoirs of the Insurrection,' 1715, by John, master of Sinclair. In the same year appeared his 'Catalogue of the Graduates of the University of Edinbough from 1680 to 1868.' In 1859 he edited the 'Registrum Cartarum Ecclesiæ S. Egidii de Edinburgh, 1344-1667,' and in 1861 the 'Registrum Domus de Soltre necnon Ecclesiæ Collegiale S. Trinitatis prope Edinburgh,' &c., both for the Bannatyne Club.
In 1863 Laing edited for the Spalding Club 'Extracts from the Diary of Alexander Brodie of Brodie, 1663-80, and of his son James Brodie, 1680-5.' In the following year he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the university of Edinburgh. In 1866 he contributed to the Abbotsford Club a volume of poems by Stephen Hawes, and in 1867 to the Bannatyne Club a volume of papers relating to the colonisation of New Scotland, 1621-38. In 1865 appeared also his edition of the poetical works of Robert Henryson. His edition of 'The Gude and Godlie Ballates' appeared in 1866, followed in 1671 by his popular edition of the works of David Lyndsay, In 1871-2 he published 'Wyntoun's Chronicle' for the series of 'Historians of Scotland,' and in 1678 he issued for the Hunterian Club the 'Poetical Works of Alexander Craig of Rose Craig, 1604-31.' In 1875 he published, in two volumes, the 'Correspondence of Sir Robert Kerr, first Earl of Ancram, and his son, third Earl of Lothian, 1616-67. In 1878 he edited in one volume, for the Hunterian Club, 'Theatre of Scottish Worthies,' and the 'Lyf, Doings, and Deathe of William Elphinstoun Bishop of Aberdeen.' In the year of his death he issued as a present to his friends a facsimile reproduction of the copperplates which illustrated the French translation of Bocaccio's 'Fall of Princes,' printed at Bruges in 1476, and prefixed to the volume an account of the origin of engraving.
Laing died unmarried, in his eighty-sixth year, at Portobello 18 Oct. 1878. His unrivalled knowledge of books, and all that concerned books, in every department literature and art, with his well-known readiness to assist all inquirers, brought round him a large circle of friends. 'Sitting in that fine Signet Library, of which he holds the keys,' said Professor Cosmo Innes 'he is consulted by everybody in every emergency. No wise man will undertake a literary work on Scotland without taking counsel with Mr. Laing.'
His large private library of printed books was, by his direction, sold by auction. The sale, conducted by Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkison, & Hodge, occupied thirty-one days (1879-80), and realised 16,137l. 11s. He bequeathed a collection of drawings to the Royal Scottish Academy, and a valuable collection of manuscripts to the university of Edinburgh.
His portrait, painted by Robert Herdman R.S.A., for the Society of Antiquaries, the fiftieth anniversary of Laing's admission as a fellow, is preserved in the hall of the society. Another portrait was painted by Sir William Fettes Douglas, R.S.A., and was presented by the artist to the Royal Scottish Academy in 1863.
[Notices of David Laing. LL.D., with list his Publications and Lectures on Scottish Art &c., by T. G. Stevenson, Edinburgh (privately printed), 1878; Biographical Memoir (with portrait) prefixed to new edition of the Select Remains of Ancient Popular and Romance Poetry of Scotland, drawn up by John Small, M.A., Edinburgh, 1885.]
LAING, JAMES (1502–1594), professor of theology in the university of Paris, was born in 1502 at Auchterless in Aberdeenshire. Having shown much aptitude at school in Scotland, he continued his studies at the university of Paris, where he applied himself to theology and entered holy orders. He is inscribed on the records of that university as a Scotsman, of the diocese of St. Andrews, and of the German nation. On 20 Oct. 1556 he was elected procurator of his nation,
