Scotland's oldest purpose-built independent library founded in 1687
> The Books > Blog > Leighton Library has 1759 first edition of "The history of Scotland, during the reigns of Queen Mary and of King James VI" by William Robertson
Leighton Library has 1759 first edition of "The history of Scotland, during the reigns of Queen Mary and of King James VI" by William Robertson
Added at 06:31 on 19 September 2025
The Leighton Library has a 1759 first edition of "The history of Scotland, during the reigns of Queen Mary and of King James VI" by Scottish historian, minister in the Church of Scotland, and Principal of the University of Edinburgh, William Robertson who was born #OnThisDay 19 September 1721.
This was one of the earliest attempts to write Scottish history in a modern, analytical way - less myth and legend, more cause and effect. He treated history like a science, not just storytelling.
Robertson was part of the Scottish Enlightenment, alongside thinkers like David Hume and Adam Smith. His writing reflected the era’s obsession with reason, progress, and understanding how societies evolve.
This wasn’t just a local bestseller. It was read across Europe and America, helping shape how outsiders viewed Scotland’s past.
He made significant contributions to the writing of Scottish history and the history of Spain and Spanish America. He gives his name to the William Robertson Building of the Old Medical School buildings at the University of Edinburgh on Teviot Place, home to the School of History, Classics and Archaeology. He was a founding member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
< Leighton Library has 2nd edition of 1755/6 of "A Dictionary of the English Language" by Dr Samuel JohnsonSite Search
