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H/E was born in Aberdeen, July, 1717, and was the son of a respectable tradesman.He received his education partly at Aberdeen and partly at Foveran.He entered Marischal College in 1733, and took his degree in 1737.Originally, he was designed for the gospel ministry; but not finding an inclination for the work, he went, as so many Scottish youths have done in like circumstances, to London (in 1739), and devoted himself to literature; translating " Select Orations of Cicero " and " Caesar's Commentaries," which were long found useful by youths averse to turn over the leaves of a dictionary.He wrote for Dodsley's " Preceptor "the article on " Logic and this was afterwards published in a separate volume, and continued for an age or two to furnish, not very philosophical but very useful, instruction to Scottish and other youths.The work is partly psychological partly logical.In Book First he treats of the origin and division of ideas, and of language; in the Second, of judgment, self-evident and demonstrable; in the Third, of reasoning and demonstration; and in the Fourth, of invention, science, and the parts, of knowledge.He was appointed professor of philosophy in Marischal College, May 18, 1752, and entered the professorship, Aug.21, 1753.He was drowned when bathing, May, 1760.