John Stuart Blackie (1809-1895) was professor of Greek at the University of Edinburgh from 1852-1882 and Sir Archibald Geikie had studied under him while there. Blackie had an interest in geology and corresponded with Geikie on this and other social and professional matters. He was widely travelled in Europe, visiting places such as Italy and France, and his reports on geological and other observations are contained in the Scotsman newscuttings he sent to Geikie.