Laing, David, 1793-1878 (antiquarian, bookseller, and librarian of the Signet Library)
Biography
David Laing, eminent historian, antiquary and bibliographer, was the second son of the Edinburgh bookseller William Laing (1764-1832) and his wife Helen Kirk, and was born on 20 April 1793. He was educated at the Canongate Grammar School and later on attended Greek classes at the University of Edinburgh. At the age of fourteen, he became apprenticed to his father who, at the time, was the only bookseller in Edinburgh dealing in foreign literature. Laing was able, occasionally, to travel abroad in search of rare or curious books. In 1821, he became a partner in his father's business and throughout his life he was an avid collector of manuscripts and rescued many from destruction. The first published work of his own was Auctarium Bibliothecae Edinburgenae sive Catalogus Librorum quos Gulielmus Drummondus ab Hawthornden D.D.Q. Anno 1627 (1815). Among other works, Laing also reprinted Thomas Craig's Epithalamium on the marriage of Darnley and Mary Stuart (1821). When Sir Walter Scott founded the Bannatyne Club in 1823 for the printing of material and tracts relating to Scottish history and literature, Laing - a friend of Scott's - became Secretary of the Club and chief organiser until its dissolution in the 1860s. Laing was also associated with the Abbotsford Club, the Spalding Club, and the Wodrow Society, each of which had been set up for the publication of manuscripts and for the revival of old texts. When the keepership of the Advocates' Library fell vacant in 1818, Laing was a candidate but was not elected. He became Keeper of the Library to the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet, a post which he occupied from 1837 until his death. On his appointment to the post, he gave up his business as a bookseller and disposed of the stock in a public sale. Laing died at Portobello, in Edinburgh, on 18 October 1878.
Found in 178 Collections and/or Records:
MS 224: Ritual Ordinance by Neophytus, 1214
The manuscript is an early copy of the original manuscript containing the Ritual Ordinance (Typike Diatheke, in Greek) written by Neophytus, a monk who laid down a set of monastic rules.
MS 225: Acts of Saint Thecla, 13th century
The Acts of Saint Paul and Saint Thecla told the story of a young virgin called Thecla, who converted and perfomed miracles after listening to the teachings of Saint Paul Apostle.
Writing
Written in a fine hand.
MS 226: Lexikon by Pseudo-Zonaras, 15th-16th century
The Lexikon traditionally attributed to the Byzantine chronicler John Zonaras (12th century) is now believed to be spurious. The beginning of the text contained in this manuscript is incomplete.
MS 227: Erotemata by Manuel Chrysolaras, 16th century
The Erotemata ('Questions') was the first Greek grammar in use in Western Europe and it became widely popular among humanists after its publication in 1484. Manuel Chrysolaras (1355-1415), born in Constantinople, moved to Italy after having being invited by the humanist Coluccio Salutati to teach Greek in Florence.
Illumination
Initials and headings are in red, one is illuminated.
MS 228: Erotemata by Manuel Chrysoloras, ? 16th century
The Erotemata ('Questions') was the first Greek grammar in use in Western Europe and it became widely popular among humanists after its publication in 1484. Manuel Chrysolaras (1355-1415), born in Constantinople, moved to Italy after having being invited by the humanist Coluccio Salutati to teach Greek in Florence.
Writing
Initials and headings red. Writing Western in appearance, perhaps 16th century.
MS 229: Onomasticon of Julius Pollux [incomplete], ? 15th century
Notes: 1866 June 16 / [D. Laing]., 1866
After the death of David Laing, his private library was sold in an auction occupying thirty-one days. His collection of charters and other papers is of national importance and the most distinguished of its kind in any Scottish university. It is an essential source for the 18th century, and a much used one for all periods of Scottish history from the earliest times. The Laing Collection falls into five sections, designated as La.I., La.II., La.III., La.IV., and La.V.
Or Ms 152: القرآن al-Qur’ān, 1067 A.H., 1656 C.E.
A complete copy of the Qur'an. In the headings of the sūrahs (chapters), the number of āyāt (verses) occuring in each is provided. On the last folio a prayer is pasted, surrounded by gold lines, and written in the hand of the copyist. There is also on the last page, a line written in Latin, and another in Greek. See catalogue by Hukk et al for further information.
Or Ms 153: القرآن al-Qur’ān, undated
Or Ms 154: القرآن al-Qur’ān, undated
A collection of a few sūrahs (chapters) of the Qur'an, beginning with sūrah 19, entitled 'al-Maryam', in which case the sūrah title has been written upside down. This manuscript may well pertain to the Morisco community of Islamic Spain or Morocco.