Sir John Dalrymple, 4th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir John Dalrymple, 4th Baronet (1726 – 26 February 1810) was a Scottish lawyer and historian. He is best known for his Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland from the dissolution of the last parliament of Charles II until the sea battle of La Hogue, first published in 1771. A new edition of 1790 carried on to the capture of the French and Spanish navies at Vigo.
, who himself had inherited Oxenfoord Castle
, property of the Viscounts of Oxfuird
. On Thomas' death in 1779, Sir John inherited Oxenfoord, and began laying out the gardens. He published his Essays on Different Natural Situations of Gardens in 1774, which became an influential book at the time.
, in the course of writing his History of England, requested that Dalrymple search the French state archives. Dalrymple discovered that the Secret Treaty of Dover
did indeed contain a provision that Charles II
convert to Roman Catholicism, and that there was a secret agreement between Charles and Louis XIV made in March 1681. He also uncovered "King William's Chest" at Kensington Palace which contained the original Invitation to William
from the Immortal Seven. When Dalrymple, "a devoted Whig", saw that he had discovered the original he was filled with emotion: "Immortal Seven! whose memories Britain can never sufficiently revere". He published this in his first volume of the Memoirs in 1771. However when he returned to the French archives for the second volume (published in 1773) he found in the French ambassador's despatches evidence that the legendary Whig martyr Algernon Sidney had accepted money from Louis XIV in 1678 and that William Russell, Lord Russell
had negotiated with him. Dalrymple wrote: "When I found Lord Russell intriguing with the Court of Versailles, and Algernon Sidney taking money from it, I felt very near the same shock as if I had seen a son turn his back in the day of battle".
When the first volume of Dalrymple's Memoirs appeared in 1771, Hume criticised it: "There is not a new circumstance of the least importance from the beginning to the end of the work". He said of the controversy surrounding the revelations on Russell and Sidney:
In a discussion with James Boswell
, Samuel Johnson
said of the discoveries on Russell and Sidney:
Maurice Ashley wrote that the publication of the Memoirs was "a striking change in the historiography of the revolution" as he had access to important papers. J. P. Kenyon has said that Dalrymple's "careful and accurate transcripts he published...[of] key documents have been a boon to other historians right down to the present day".
Life
In 1760 he married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Thomas Hamilton of FalaFala, Midlothian
Fala, is a parish and hamlet in the south-eastern corner of Midlothian, Scotland, and about 15 miles from Edinburgh.-Location:The parish is about five miles long from east to west, and one mile broad from north to south, and contains about...
, who himself had inherited Oxenfoord Castle
Oxenfoord Castle
Oxenfoord Castle is a country house in Midlothian, Scotland. It is located north of Pathhead, and south-east of Dalkeith, above the Tyne Water. Originally a 16th-century tower house, the present castle is largely the result of major rebuilding in 1782, to designs by the architect Robert Adam....
, property of the Viscounts of Oxfuird
Viscount of Oxfuird
Viscount of Oxfuird is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1651 for Sir James Makgill, 1st Baronet, along with the subsidiary title of Lord Makgill of Cousland, also in the Peerage of Scotland, with remainder to his "heirs male of tailzie and provision whomsoever"...
. On Thomas' death in 1779, Sir John inherited Oxenfoord, and began laying out the gardens. He published his Essays on Different Natural Situations of Gardens in 1774, which became an influential book at the time.
Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland
David HumeDavid Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, in the course of writing his History of England, requested that Dalrymple search the French state archives. Dalrymple discovered that the Secret Treaty of Dover
Secret treaty of Dover
The Treaty of Dover, also known as the Secret Treaty of Dover, was a treaty between England and France signed at Dover on June 1 in 1670. It required France to assist England in the king's aim that it would rejoin the Roman Catholic Church and England to assist France in her war of conquest...
did indeed contain a provision that Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
convert to Roman Catholicism, and that there was a secret agreement between Charles and Louis XIV made in March 1681. He also uncovered "King William's Chest" at Kensington Palace which contained the original Invitation to William
Invitation to William
The Invitation to William was a letter sent by seven notable Englishmen, later named the Immortal Seven, to William III, Prince of Orange, received by him on 30 June 1688...
from the Immortal Seven. When Dalrymple, "a devoted Whig", saw that he had discovered the original he was filled with emotion: "Immortal Seven! whose memories Britain can never sufficiently revere". He published this in his first volume of the Memoirs in 1771. However when he returned to the French archives for the second volume (published in 1773) he found in the French ambassador's despatches evidence that the legendary Whig martyr Algernon Sidney had accepted money from Louis XIV in 1678 and that William Russell, Lord Russell
William Russell, Lord Russell
William Russell, Lord Russell was an English politician. He was a leading member of the Country Party, forerunners of the Whigs, who opposed the succession of James II during the reign of Charles II, ultimately resulting in his execution for treason.-Early life and marriage:Russell was the third...
had negotiated with him. Dalrymple wrote: "When I found Lord Russell intriguing with the Court of Versailles, and Algernon Sidney taking money from it, I felt very near the same shock as if I had seen a son turn his back in the day of battle".
When the first volume of Dalrymple's Memoirs appeared in 1771, Hume criticised it: "There is not a new circumstance of the least importance from the beginning to the end of the work". He said of the controversy surrounding the revelations on Russell and Sidney:
It is amusing to observe the general, and I may say national rage, excited by the late discovery of this secret negotiation [with the French Court]; chiefly on account of Algernon Sidney, whom the blind prejudices of party had exalted into a hero. His ingratitude and breach of faith in applying for the King's pardon, and immediately on his return entering into cabals for rebellion, form a conduct much more criminal than the taking of French gold. Yet the former circumstance was always known, and always disregarded. But everything connected with France is supposed in England to be polluted beyond all possibility of expiation. Even Lord Russell, whose conduct in this negotiation was only factious, and that in an ordinary degree, is imagined to be dishonoured by the same discovery.
In a discussion with James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
, Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
said of the discoveries on Russell and Sidney:
JOHNSON. ‘Why, Sir, every body who had just notions of government thought them rascals before. It is well that all mankind now see them to be rascals.’ BOSWELL. ‘But, Sir, may not those discoveries be true without their being rascals?’ JOHNSON. ‘Consider, Sir; would any of them have been willing to have had it known that they intrigued with France? Depend upon it, Sir, he who does what he is afraid should be known, has something rotten about him. This Dalrymple seems to be an honest fellow; for he tells equally what makes against both sides. But nothing can be poorer than his mode of writing: it is the mere bouncing of a school-boy. Great He! but greater She! and such stuff.’
Maurice Ashley wrote that the publication of the Memoirs was "a striking change in the historiography of the revolution" as he had access to important papers. J. P. Kenyon has said that Dalrymple's "careful and accurate transcripts he published...[of] key documents have been a boon to other historians right down to the present day".