| Type | Twiceweekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Quarto; Small folio; 4 pp. folio of the modern newspaper size |
| Publisher | Alexander Donaldson & John Reid; James Donaldson; Claud Muirhead |
| Editor | Andrew Crichton; Robert Chambers; Robert W. Paterson |
| Founded | 3 January 1764 |
| Ceased publication | 29 March 1859 |
| Political alignment | Tory[1] |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh,Scotland |
"...theEdinburgh Advertiser is the onlypolitico-ecclesiastico journal in the (British) empire which is against the(Church of Scotland's) General Assemblyin toto".
The Edinburgh Advertiser,[3][4][5] sometimes referred to asThe Advertiser, was a twice-weekly newspaper published inEdinburgh,Scotland, on Tuesday and Friday mornings[citation needed] for almost a century, from 1764 to 1859.[6]
At the time of its inception, it was the only newspaper published on these days of the week in Edinburgh. It ran from 3 January 1764 until 29 March 1859[4] when it merged with theEdinburgh Evening Courant. Through the years, its offices were located atCastlehill;No. 91Rose Street;No. 13 South Hanover Street;[7] 210High Street;15 India Street; and7 Heriot Row.[8]
Its first publishers wereAlexander Donaldson and John Reid. Reid's name appeared on the masthead briefly, only through 21 August 1764, at which time, only Donaldson's continued.[9] Donaldson, a bookseller as well as printer and publisher, is most notable for the 1774Donaldson v Beckett court case relating to shared perpetual copyrights. In 1774, the newspaper passed from Donaldson to his son,James Donaldson. In 1820, James sold the paper toClaud Muirhead ofHeriot Row andGogar Park,Midlothian.[10] Of the large fortune made by the Donaldsons, James bequeathed it for the endowment ofDonaldson's Hospital.[11]
Claud's father, James Muirhead, printer,Burgess and Guild Brother, served as the newspaper's printer, principal manager and superintendent.[8] Rev.Andrew Crichton, a Scottish biographer and historian, served as editor until 1851 when he was replaced by Robert W. Paterson. For a short period, editorial control was held by Robert Chambers.[7] At one point in time, Christopher North (the pseudonym of the Scottish writerJohn Wilson), was said to be associated with theEdinburgh Advertiser.[12] James Macaulay was a foreman. Journeymen printers included John Bryce, James Lamb, Robert Lamb, and George Robertson. Two of the pressmen were James Thomson and Joseph Thompson.[13]
The paper was run frugally.[14] Its initial cost was 2½d, and it was increased to 7d by 1820.[15] It covered news, religion, trade, manufacturing, agriculture, politics, and entertainment of Great Britain and theColonial United States; it also published essays.[16] Its motto,Quidquid agunt homines, uotum, timor, ira, uoluptas, gaudia, discursus, nostri farrago libelli,[16] (translation: "whatever men do – prayer, fear, rage, pleasure, joy, running about – is the grist of my little book") is asatire by the Roman poet Juvenal.
The newspaper was the first to publish some historically important pieces. The first publication ofEpitaph: OnRobert Fergusson appeared in the 7–11 August 1789 issue. One literary note was the first publication ofRobert Burns'On the Commemoration ofRodney's Victory which appeared in the 16–19 April 1793 issue.[17] After Burns' death, several of hisepigrams were published in the 8 August 1800 issue.[18]
