YUDIHMAN, TnomAs, the greatest of Scottish grammarians, was b. in Banffshire, art a place called Ragge], in the parish of Boyndie, Oct., 1674. He received the rudi meats of his classical education at the parish school, where lie already gave promise of his future proficiency. At 16 years of age he went to Kin7's college, Aberdeen, where he took his degree of M.A. four years later. On leaving the university he was engaged as tutor in a private family, in which capacity lie remained a year; and thereafter became parish schoolmaster at Laurencekirk. Here he accidentally made the acquaint ance of the celebrated physician and Latinist, Dr. Archibald Pitcairne, who was so impressed with and sagacity that he exerted his influence, and succeeded in getting him appointed assistant book-keeper of the Advocates' library, Edinburgh. His new office gave him ample opportunity for prosecuting his favorite studies, but the remuneration was so small that, in 1707, he was compelled to com mence business as an auctioneer. It was at this time that he began his career as an editor by publishing an edition of Volusenus's (Florence Wilson's) Dialogue on the Tran y sillily of the to which he prefixed a life of the author. In 1709, he published Arthur Johnston's Poetical Paraphrase of the Sony of Solomon, and the same author's Can tica—both in Latin. In 1714 appeared his well-known work—by which his name will always he honorably perpetuated among Scotchmen—Rudiments of the Latin Tongue, a text-book from which, under a great variety of forms, his countrymen still continue to be initiated into classical literature. In 1715 he published his great edition of Buchanan's works (2 vols. folio); and iu that year, exchanged the calling of an auctioneer for the more congenial one of printer. In this capacity he was assisted by his brother, who became his partner, and had been originally bred to the business. Some years after
ward, he was appointed printer to the university of Edinburgh. In 1725 lie published the first part of his great grammatical work, his Grammatical Latinos Institutiones, which is devoted to the etymology of the language; and in 1732, the second part, which treats of the syntax. His philological reputation rests mainly on this work, which has been re-edited in Germany by Stallbaum, and is repeatedly referred to in the Latin lexicon of Freund. He also prepared an elaborate treatise on prosody, of which, however, he published only an abridgment. His next appointment was that of principal keeper of the Advocates' library. In this capacity he published a magnificent edition of Ander son's Diplomata et Kamismata Scotia (1 vol. folio), and prefixed a learned introduction in Latin. Controversy with men such as Benson, who contrasted the Latin verse of Johnston unfavorably with that of Buchanan, and with Logan on the hereditary right of the kings of Scotland to the crown, consumed a great part of his time, but did not so preoccupy his thoughts as to prevent him from publishing, in 1751, an edition of Livy in 4 vols. 12mo, a gem of typography, and still known as the " immaculate" edition, from its entire exemption from errors of the press. Ruddiman died in Edinburgh, Jan. 19, 1757, in his 83d year. In politics he was, like his friend Pitcairne, an ardent tory and Jacobite; and in private life, a most upright and estimable man. Besides the publications already noted, he edited the translation of Virgil's _zEneid by bishop Ga wain Douglas, and appended a very valuable glossary (folio, 1710). He also founded the Caledonian Mercury newspaper, and published or edited a multitude of minor tracts and books. His life has been written by George Chalmers, the antiquary (1 vol. 8vo. 1794)