tinued for more than twenty years to discharge his legislative duties with mingled prudence and independence. He offered a decided though moderate resistance to the arbitrary measures of James II., and brought himself into trouble in 1686 by his zealous support of the protestant religion. Shortly after the Revolution he was appointed a lord of session, with the title of Lord Fountainhall, and also a lord of justiciary. In 1692 he was offered the situation of lord advocate, but declined it on the ground that he would not be allowed to prosecute the authors of the Glencoe massacre. He frequently opposed the measures of the court, and voted against the union with England. The increasing infirmities of age soon after compelled him to resign his office, and he died in September, 1722. He was twice married, and left a very numerous family. Sir John was a profound lawyer, a man of considerable learning and great sagacity. His MSS. fill two folio and three quarto volumes. A selection from his Diary was published in 1822, under the title of "Chronological Notes of Scottish Affairs from 1680 to 1701."—J. T.
LAUDER, Sir Thomas Dick, Bart., a descendant of the preceding, was the only son of Sir Andrew Lauder, the sixth baronet. The family was of Norman origin, and settled in Scotland in 1056. They were hereditary bailies of Lauderdale, which derived its name from them. One of the family was the friend of Wallace; another fell with Sir James Douglas in Spain; a third, who was justiciary of the country north of the Forth, fought at Halidon in 1333; a fourth was bishop of Glasgow and chancellor of Scotland in 1423; and his brother was bishop of Dunkeld. The famous stronghold of the Bass was long their chief seat. Sir Thomas was for a short time an officer in the 79th regiment. He succeeded his father in 1820. At an early period he contributed several papers to the Annals of Philosophy, and in 1818 drew up a paper on "The Parallel Roads of Glenroy," giving a correct account of the formation of these curious pathways. He was one of the earliest contributors to Blackwood's Magazine; he drew up the statistical account of the county of Moray for the Edinburgh Encyclopædia; and published two novels, "Lochandhu" and the "Wolf of Badenoch." His best work, however, is his account of the "Great Floods of August, 1829, in the province of Moray and adjoining districts"—a most vivid, vigorous, and graphic description of that tremendous inundation, of which he was an eye-witness. He also published "Highland Rambles, with Long Tales to Shorten the Way," 2 vols. 8vo; "Legendary Tales of the Highlands," 3 vols.; "A Tour round the Coasts of Scotland;" "A Memorial of the Royal Progress in Scotland," &c. Sir Thomas married Miss Cuming, the heiress of Relugas, a most beautiful property on the banks of Findhorn, and left by her a numerous family. He took a deep interest in benevolent and patriotic schemes, was a highly popular speaker, and was greatly beloved for his worth, amiability, and joyous spirit. Lord Cockburn says, "He was one of the most accomplished of country gentlemen. He did enough to attest his capacity both for science and art; and some of his works of fiction would have made more permanent impressions than they have done, had they not appeared in the immediate blaze of those of Scott." Sir Thomas was secretary to the board of Scottish manufactures and to the board of fishery, a deputy-lieutenant of Haddingtonshire, and a fellow of the Royal Society. He died in 1841 in his sixty-fourth year.—J. T.
LAUDER, William, notorious for his false accusations against Milton, was a native of Scotland, and born about 1710. He was educated at the university of Edinburgh. While a boy he had the misfortune to lose one of his legs. He distinguished himself by his application to study, and in 1734 taught the humanity class for Professor Watt. In 1739 he published by subscription two volumes of sacred poetry, entitled "Poetarum Scotorum Musæ Sacræ;" and about the same time he brought out an edition of Johnson's version of the Psalms. In 1742 he was master of a school at Dundee; but some years afterwards emigrated to England, where in 1747 he began to print in the Gentleman's Magazine his papers on the plagiarisms of Milton. These he collected, and in 1751 published as "An Essay on Milton's Use and Imitation of the Moderns in his Paradise Lost." This work created considerable sensation at the time, but was soon answered by Dr. Douglas, who convicted Lauder himself of forgery and imposture. Not only had he forged some of his quotations, but he had borrowed some of them from Hogg's Latin version of Paradise Lost, under the names of Massenius, Staphorstius, Taubmannus, and others. Lauder was compelled to subscribe a confession which Dr. Johnson dictated and made public; the doctor having himself been deluded into writing a preface and postscript to Lauder's book. Not content with this exposure, Lauder returned to the attack in 1754, in a pamphlet entitled "The Grand Impostor Detected, or Milton convicted of forgery against King Charles the First." This also was refuted; and Lauder, finding himself ruined and despised, went to Barbadoes, where he died in 1771.—B. H. C.
LAUDERDALE, James Maitland, eighth earl of, eldest surviving son of James, the seventh earl, was born in 1759. He studied successively at the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and completed his education at Paris. On his return to his native country he was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1780. At the general election in 1780 he was returned to parliament by the burghs of Lauder and Jedburgh. He attached himself to the whig party, became an associate of Mr. Fox, and took a conspicuous part in the opposition to Lord North's administration. He was appointed by the house of commons one of the managers of the impeachment of Warren Hastings. On the death of his father in 1789 he succeeded to the family titles and estates, and in the following year was chosen one of the sixteen representatives of the Scottish peerage. In the house of lords he continued zealously to advocate liberal opinions of an extreme character, and violently opposed the war with France, the suspension of the habeas corpus act, the sedition bills, and other measures of the government. He was regarded as the leader of the Scotch whigs, and when his friends came into office in 1806 he was intrusted with a large share of ministerial patronage, was created a peer of the United Kingdom, was sworn a privy councillor, and had the great seal of Scotland delivered to him (21st July). In August following he was sent as ambassador-extraordinary to Paris with full powers to conclude a peace with France; but the negotiation proved abortive. He continued to take an active part in public affairs, but deserted his party on the queen's trial; and during the remainder of his public career. Citizen Maitland, as he once loved to be called, acted with the tories. The last ten years of his life were spent in retirement, and principally devoted to agricultural pursuits. He died in 1839 in his eightieth year. Lord Lauderdale was an able, but ambitious and violent politician. He had profoundly studied questions of finance, and in 1804 published an elaborate "Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth." He was the author, also, of various pamphlets on the government of India, the Irish union finance, &c.—J. T.
LAUDERDALE, John, Duke of, was born May 24, 1616. He was the eldest son of John, first earl of Lauderdale, and grandson of John, first Lord Thirlstane, brother of the celebrated Maitland of Lethington.—(See Maitland.) He received an excellent education, and made great proficiency in the classics. He was carefully trained in presbyterian principles, and entered public life as a zealous supporter of the covenant. He took a prominent part in all the measures of the presbyterian party in resisting the innovations of Charles and of Laud, and in negotiating with the English parliament. He had a seat in the famous assembly of divines held at Westminster, and in 1644 was one of the four Scottish commissioners sent to negotiate with the king at Uxbridge. When Charles took refuge in the Scottish camp, Lauderdale eagerly pressed him to accept of the terms offered him by the Scots; and when these were rejected, he was accused of having been deeply concerned in the surrender of Charles to the English parliament. In 1647 he was one of the Scottish commissioners sent to persuade the king to sign the covenant. He shortly after went over to Holland, and remained there till 1650, when he accompanied Charles to Scotland, and seems to have ingratiated himself wonderfully with the young monarch. He took part in the ill-fated expedition into England in 1651, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester. He was kept a close prisoner in the Tower, and other places of confinement, for nine years, and was not released until the arrival of Monk in London in 1660. He lost no time in repairing to the Hague to wait upon Charles, whom he accompanied to England at the Restoration. On the disgrace of Middleton in 1662, and of Rothes in 1667, Lauderdale was made secretary of state for Scotland, and was soon after nominated president of the council, first commissioner of the treasury, extraordinary lord of session, lord of the bed-chamber, and governor of Edinburgh castle. The whole power and patronage of Scotland was placed in his hands. To gain the favour of the king and court, he
