BEATTIE, ba'te, •AMES (1735-1803). A Scottish poet and moral philosopher. He was born October 25, 1735, at Laurencekirk. He studied at Marischal College, Aberdeen, where he acquired a high reputation as a classical scholar. In 17•8 he was appointed one of the masters of the grammar school in that city, and in 1760 pro fessor of moral philosophy in \larischal College. Ten years afterwards appeared Beattie's famous Essay on Truth, an attempt to refute the skepti cism of Hume. The hook, which now reads like an invective against Hume, at once made Beat tie conspicuous as a defender of orthodoxy. He was introduced to George III., given a pen sion of £200. and offered a living in the Anglican Church and the chair of moral philosophy at Edinburgh. Though his head was slightly turned by this success, he declined all these offers. The essay is of little importance in the history of philosophy, and has consequently been long neg lected. In 1771 appeared the first part of The Minstrel, written in the Spenserian stanza, and in 1774 the second part. It is a delightful poem.
It overflows with true poetical emotion, and is rich in picturesque descriptions, while the versification has a quiet fullness of melody. The poem describes "the progress of a poetical genius born in a rude age, from the first dawning of fancy and reason till that period at which he may be supposed capable of appearing in the world as a minstrel." Beattie intended to add a third part, but circumstances prevented his doing so. hi 1776 he published a series of essays on poetry, music. etc.: in 1783, Dissertations Moral and Critical; in 1786, The Evidences of the Chris tian Religion Briefly and Plainly Stated; and in 1790-93, The. Elements of Moral Science; all of which works are written in a clear and elegant style, and with a high appreciation of whatever is beautiful and good. He died August 18, 1803.• Consult Forbes, Life and Writings of James Beattie (Edinburgh. lS24).