James Tytler
Encyclopedia
James Tytler was a Scottish
apothecary and the editor of the second edition of Encyclopædia Britannica
. Tytler became the first person in Britain to steer a hot air balloon
(1784).
A group of historiographers wrote about him:
and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, after which he apprenticed as a ship's surgeon for one year. He may not have received a degree, or he may have, as the 11th edition of Britannica refers to him as James Tytler, M.A. He declined to practice medicine but instead opened a pharmacy in Leith, near Edinburgh, which was a financial failure, leaving him in debt. The two longest articles in the second edition of Britannica are Surgery and Pharmacy, reflecting his fields of expertise.
In 1765 Tytler married Elizabeth Rattley, the orphaned daughter of a solicitor. Soon after he fled Scotland to escape his creditors. His financial problems may have come from his alcoholism. He went to northern England, where he again tried to make a living as an apothecary. After he became father of several children, he returned to Edinburgh in 1772 or 1773. In 1774 or 1775 Tytler separated from his wife; at the time the couple had five children.
The years when Tytler worked as editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1777-1784) were his financially luckiest. He had income also from some other editing works and translations. But in March 1785 he went bankrupt again, possibly due to the costs of his engagement in hot air ballooning
. He moved to several places in Scotland and northern England. Elizabeth Rattray sued him for divorce in 1788, because he had lived with Jean Aitkenhead since about 1779 and had twin daughters with her.
He returned to Edinburgh in 1791. Because of political trouble he was outlawed in absence by the Scottish High Court in 1793. So he moved to Belfast and in 1795 to the United States. In Salem
, Massachusetts, he edited the Salem Register, published some works and sold medicines. On 9 January 1804 Tytler left his house drunk; two days later the sea returned his body.
James and Elizabeth Rattley had joined the Glasites, a radical Protestant sect. In the 70s, Tytler left the sect and denounced it together with all churches. He remained a fervent Christian without denomination. In Salem he never went to church.
. Maybe the publishers trusted Tytler because one of them, Andrew Bell
, was content with Tytler's assistence with another work. As a group of historiographers wrote, 'Tytler displayed an uncharacteristic steadiness of purpose while working on the second edition.'
Reviewers were lukewarm to the Tytler edition, but the sales showed an appreciation by the reading public.
Tytler contributed some long treatises to the third edition (1788-1797), and possibly was even its first editor before he left Edinburgh in March 1788, the month before the first number was published. This left the editor's chair to Britannica's co-owner and Bell's partner, Colin Macfarquhar
. Tytler continued to contribute heavily to the third edition
when he came back to Edinburgh, as far as the letter M.
On the ship to America in 1795 Tytler wrote a pamphlet Rising the sun in the west, or the Origin and progress of liberty in which he decounces the elites of the old World. Disappointed with the Scottish and Irish, he praised the Americans and French for fighting against superstition and tyranny. This in spite of the religious politics of revolutional France.
and became the first person in Britain to fly such a novelty air-craft. His venture was expensive, but succeeded after some attempts on 25 August 1784, in Edinburgh. His manned balloon rose a few feet from the ground. Two days later he managed to reach a height of some 350 feet, travelling for half a mile. Later trials, again, where less fortunate. In October his balloon rose significantly only after Tytler left the attached basket, to the disappointment of the crowd. Consequently Tytler, having been 'the toast of Edinburgh', was ridiculed and called a coward. His last flight was on 26 July 1785.
Tytler was overshadowed by Vincenzo Lunardi
—the self-styled "Daredevil Aeronaut"—who carried out five sensational launches in Scotland
that created a ballooning fad and inspired ladies' fashions in skirts and hats. The "Lunardi bonnet" is mentioned in the poem To a Louse
by Robert Burns
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
apothecary and the editor of the second edition of Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. Tytler became the first person in Britain to steer a hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
(1784).
A group of historiographers wrote about him:
Life
Tytler was the son of a Presbyterian minister in Forfarshire, Scotland. His father tought him Greek, Latin and theology. He probably studied for the ministry but was not interested in (Orthodox) Calvinism. He became a preacher in the Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, after which he apprenticed as a ship's surgeon for one year. He may not have received a degree, or he may have, as the 11th edition of Britannica refers to him as James Tytler, M.A. He declined to practice medicine but instead opened a pharmacy in Leith, near Edinburgh, which was a financial failure, leaving him in debt. The two longest articles in the second edition of Britannica are Surgery and Pharmacy, reflecting his fields of expertise.
In 1765 Tytler married Elizabeth Rattley, the orphaned daughter of a solicitor. Soon after he fled Scotland to escape his creditors. His financial problems may have come from his alcoholism. He went to northern England, where he again tried to make a living as an apothecary. After he became father of several children, he returned to Edinburgh in 1772 or 1773. In 1774 or 1775 Tytler separated from his wife; at the time the couple had five children.
The years when Tytler worked as editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1777-1784) were his financially luckiest. He had income also from some other editing works and translations. But in March 1785 he went bankrupt again, possibly due to the costs of his engagement in hot air ballooning
Hot air ballooning
Hot air ballooning is the activity of flying hot air balloons. Attractive aspects of ballooning include the exceptional quiet , the lack of a feeling of movement, and the bird's-eye view...
. He moved to several places in Scotland and northern England. Elizabeth Rattray sued him for divorce in 1788, because he had lived with Jean Aitkenhead since about 1779 and had twin daughters with her.
He returned to Edinburgh in 1791. Because of political trouble he was outlawed in absence by the Scottish High Court in 1793. So he moved to Belfast and in 1795 to the United States. In Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, Massachusetts, he edited the Salem Register, published some works and sold medicines. On 9 January 1804 Tytler left his house drunk; two days later the sea returned his body.
James and Elizabeth Rattley had joined the Glasites, a radical Protestant sect. In the 70s, Tytler left the sect and denounced it together with all churches. He remained a fervent Christian without denomination. In Salem he never went to church.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Tytler had done some writing; for example, in 1774 he authored two religious pamphlets which earned him no money or little. He came late to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, to become the editor of the second edition (1777-1784). He was cheaper to the publishers than the previous editor, William SmellieWilliam Smellie
William Smellie may refer to:*William Smellie , Scottish encyclopedist*William Smellie , obstetrician and the "father of British midwifery"...
. Maybe the publishers trusted Tytler because one of them, Andrew Bell
Andrew Bell
Andrew Bell may refer to:* Andrew Bell , toy designer, founder of Dead Zebra, Inc* Andrew Bell , Scottish co-founder of the Encyclopædia Britannica...
, was content with Tytler's assistence with another work. As a group of historiographers wrote, 'Tytler displayed an uncharacteristic steadiness of purpose while working on the second edition.'
Reviewers were lukewarm to the Tytler edition, but the sales showed an appreciation by the reading public.
Tytler contributed some long treatises to the third edition (1788-1797), and possibly was even its first editor before he left Edinburgh in March 1788, the month before the first number was published. This left the editor's chair to Britannica's co-owner and Bell's partner, Colin Macfarquhar
Colin Macfarquhar
Colin Macfarquhar was a Scottish bookseller and printer. He is best known for being one of the "Society of Gentlemen in Scotland", along with Andrew Bell, who first published the Encyclopædia Britannica. Macfarquhar also contributed heavily to the second and third edition...
. Tytler continued to contribute heavily to the third edition
Encyclopædia Britannica Third Edition
The Encyclopædia Britannica Third Edition is an 18-volume reference work, an edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's earliest period as a two-man operation founded by Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell, in Edinburgh, Scotland...
when he came back to Edinburgh, as far as the letter M.
Politics
With regard to politics, the second edition of the Encylcopaedia Britannica is moderate because the publishers Bell and Macfarquhar curbed Tytler's reformism. Tytler expressed sympathy for the French Revolution of 1789 and called up the British not to pay taxes. He also denounced public officials. One of his pamphlets, in 1792, called the House of Commons 'vile junto of aristocracts' usurping the rights of king and people. Not money but his honest and upright behaviour should qualify a man for being an elector. As a consequence he was convicted in January 1793.On the ship to America in 1795 Tytler wrote a pamphlet Rising the sun in the west, or the Origin and progress of liberty in which he decounces the elites of the old World. Disappointed with the Scottish and Irish, he praised the Americans and French for fighting against superstition and tyranny. This in spite of the religious politics of revolutional France.
Aviation
The inventive Tytler, familiar with chemistry, rivalled the French pioneers of hot air ballooningHot air ballooning
Hot air ballooning is the activity of flying hot air balloons. Attractive aspects of ballooning include the exceptional quiet , the lack of a feeling of movement, and the bird's-eye view...
and became the first person in Britain to fly such a novelty air-craft. His venture was expensive, but succeeded after some attempts on 25 August 1784, in Edinburgh. His manned balloon rose a few feet from the ground. Two days later he managed to reach a height of some 350 feet, travelling for half a mile. Later trials, again, where less fortunate. In October his balloon rose significantly only after Tytler left the attached basket, to the disappointment of the crowd. Consequently Tytler, having been 'the toast of Edinburgh', was ridiculed and called a coward. His last flight was on 26 July 1785.
Tytler was overshadowed by Vincenzo Lunardi
Vincenzo Lunardi
Vicenzo Lunardi was born in Lucca, Italy. His family were of minor Neapolitan nobility, and his father had married late in life. Vicenzo was one of three children...
—the self-styled "Daredevil Aeronaut"—who carried out five sensational launches in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
that created a ballooning fad and inspired ladies' fashions in skirts and hats. The "Lunardi bonnet" is mentioned in the poem To a Louse
To a Louse
"To A Louse, On Seeing One on a Lady's Bonnet at Church" is a 1786 Scots language poem by Robert Burns in his favourite meter, Standard Habbie. The poem's theme is contained in the final verse:...
by Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
.