Edinburgh, Aug. 2.
The birth of James Grant, one of the most popular of Scottish novelists, on August 1, 1822, 1s worthy of some remembrance. Descended from an old Highland family, he was born in Edinburgh, his tather' being a captain in the 2nd, the Gordon—highlanders. Young Grant was also for a short time in the Army, an ensign in the 62nd, and left it to study as! an architect in the office of Mr. Rhynd of Edinburgh. All the time he was in Mr. Rhynd's office, however, he was assiduously prac-rising the art of writing, and when in 1845 he gave to the world his first book, "The Romance of War," it was clear that he possessed literary gifts of no common character. Though his share of the profits was small, only £20, the novel had an enormous sale. The story owed. its. conception to his father's reminiscences of the Peninsular War and it abounds in masterly descriptions of scenes and incidents of the campaign. It makes a strong appeal to Scottish sentiment, and abounds in military adventure. This romance was followed by others which were scarcely less successful, and from that time onwards Grant wrote unceasingly, never a year passing without two or three volumes. Occasionally his word pictures are overwrought, but as a rule the proportion of reality and fiction is justly observed. The most successful of his novels were "The Yellow Frigate," "Bothwell," and "Mary Seton."
Grant's popularity as a novelist has not survived, but his "Old and New Edinburgh' is still a standard work with a large regular circulation. It is a striking fact that this book is well known America, where nearly 50,000 copies have been sold. In the carly fifties Grant. founded the National Society for the Vindication of Scottish Rights," cham-piening its views in spite of the ridicule heaped upon him "Punch" and a number of English newspapers. In later years, Grant embraced - the tholic faith, and died in London in 1897.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.