printer. For many years he collected materials for a new history to supersede ‘The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire’ (1712) of Sir R. Atkyns. He issued proposals for the publication of his book in 1767, but W. Herbert brought out a new edition (1768) of Atkyns's work to forestall him. Rudder printed as a specimen of his proposed history ‘The History of the Parish and Abbey of Hales’ (1768), and in 1779 published his ‘New History of Gloucestershire’ (Cirencester, folio). Horace Walpole, in writing to Cole the antiquary, 27 Dec. 1779, says that Rudder's ‘additions to Sir R. Atkyns make it the most sensible history of a county we have had yet’ (Letters, 1858, vii. 299, see also pp. 280, 337). ‘The History and Antiquities of Gloucester’ (Cirencester, 1781, 8vo) is taken from Rudder's larger work, as is also his ‘History of the Ancient Town of Cirencester’ (1800, 2nd edit.) In 1763 first appeared his ‘History of Fairford Church,’ of which the tenth edition is dated 1785.
Rudder died 15 March 1801, at Chelsea.
[Gent. Mag. 1801, i. 285; Nichols's Illustrations, vi. 397; Upcott's Bibl. Account of English Topogr. 1818, i. 250–3.]
RUDDIMAN, THOMAS (1674–1757), philologist, born in October 1674 in the parish of Boyndie, Banffshire, was son of James Ruddiman, tenant of the farm of Raggel, a strong royalist, and of Margaret, daughter of Andrew Simpson, a neighbouring farmer. Ruddiman gained considerable proficiency in classical studies at the parish school under George Morison, and when he was sixteen he left home, without informing his parents, to compete at Aberdeen for the annual prize given at King's College for classical learning. On his journey he was robbed by gipsies; but persevering in his purpose, he gained the prize, and, having obtained a bursary, began his studies under Professor William Black in November 1690. He graduated M.A. on 21 June 1694, and soon afterwards was chosen tutor to the son of Robert Young of Auldbar, Forfarshire. He was next appointed schoolmaster at Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, partly by Young's aid; and there, in 1699, Dr. Archibald Pitcairne (1652–1713) [q. v.], who happened to stay at the village inn, made his acquaintance, and promised to help him if he came to Edinburgh.
On Ruddiman's arrival at Edinburgh early in 1700, Pitcairne procured him employment in the Advocates' Library, where he was engaged in arranging books and copying papers. On 2 May 1702 he was made assistant librarian, at a salary of 8l. 6s. 8d. a year. His employers were so well satisfied that at the end of 1703 they gave him an extra allowance of 50l. Scots. Ruddiman also earned money by copying documents for the Glasgow University, by teaching and receiving boarders, and by revising works for the booksellers. He received 3l. for thus assisting through the press Sir Robert Sibbald's ‘Introductio ad Historiam Rerum a Romanis gestarum,’ and 5l. for like aid given to Sir Robert Spottiswood's ‘The Practiques of the Law of Scotland.’ In 1707 he also became a book auctioneer, dealing chiefly in learned works and schoolbooks; and in the same year he published an edition of Florence Wilson's ‘De Animi Tranquillitate Dialogus,’ with a new preface and life of Wilson. This was followed in 1709 by an edition of Arthur Johnston's ‘Cantici Solomonis Paraphrasis Poetica,’ dedicated to Pitcairne, who presented Ruddiman with a silver cup.
In 1710 Ruddiman saw through the press a new folio edition of Gawin Douglas's translation of Virgil's ‘Æneid,’ with an elaborate glossary by himself. For his labours in connection with the undertaking he received 8l. 6s. 8d. He applied for the rectorship of Dundee grammar school in 1711, but was induced to remain at the Advocates' Library by the offer of an additional salary of 30l. 6s. 8d. After assisting in preparing editions of the works of Drummond of Hawthornden (1711), Abercromby's ‘Martial Achievements of the Scots Nation’ (1711), and John Forrest's ‘Latin Vocabulary’ (1713), Ruddiman published his ‘Rudiments of the Latin Tongue,’ 1714, a book which passed through fifteen editions in his lifetime, and supplanted all previous works of the kind. On the death of Pitcairne he negotiated the sale of his friend's library to Peter the Great, and published, on a single sheet, verses ‘In Obitum A. Pitcarnii,’ 1713.
Ruddiman's next undertaking was an edition of George Buchanan's works, in two folio volumes, ‘Buchanani Opera Omnia,’ 1715, collected for the first time. In his Latin biographical introduction, Ruddiman adversely criticised Buchanan's character and political views, a course which involved him in a long controversy. A ‘Society of the Scholars of Edinburgh, to vindicate that incomparably learned and pious author [Buchanan] from the calumny of Mr. Thomas Ruddiman,’ was started; but their proposal to bring out a correct edition of Buchanan under Burman's editorship was not carried out. In the meantime Ruddiman added the printer's business in 1715 to his other occupations, and admitted
