Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 08.djvu/245

 rarest books in three papers contributed to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ for 1834 (pt. i. pp. 59, 195, 284). Caldecott had views of his own on Shakespearean editing. Dibdin describes him as ‘the last of the old breed of Shakespearean commentators of the school of Johnson and Steevens,’ and he certainly had characteristic contempt for Malone, Steevens, and the Shakespearean scholars of his own day. After many years' labour he published privately in 1832 a volume containing ‘Hamlet’ and ‘As you like it,’ with elaborate notes. This was intended to be the first instalment of a final edition of Shakespeare. But the compilation proved singularly feeble and was not continued. Caldecott was well acquainted with ‘honest Tom Warton’ and Bishop Percy, and entered heartily into the former's quarrel with Ritson, whom he styles in a letter to Percy ‘that scurrilous miscreant.’

[Nichols's Illustrations, viii. 372–3; Martin's Privately Printed Books, 304; Gent. Mag. 1833, pt. i. p. 573, 1834, pt. i. pp. 59, 195, 284; Brit. Mus. Cat.] 

CALDER, JAMES TAIT (1794?–1864), author of the ‘History of Caithness,’ was born at the village of Castletown, Caithness. He studied at the university of Edinburgh, and, after acting for some time as private tutor in the house of the Rev. Mr. Gunn at Caithness, became parish teacher at Canisbay. In 1842 he published at Wick ‘Sketches from John o' Groat's in Prose and Verse,’ which contained an interesting chapter on ‘Ancient Superstitions and Customs in Caithness.’ In 1846 he issued a volume of poems entitled ‘The Soldier's Bride,’ from the name of the largest poem in the book. His ‘Sketch of the Civil and Traditional History of Caithness from the Tenth Century,’ published in 1861, is a work of undoubted merit, in which he has made admirable use of the materials available, although they are less full than in the case of most other counties. He died at Elwick Bank, Shapinshay, on 15 Jan. 1864.

[Orkney Herald, 19 Jan. 1864.] 

CALDER, JOHN, D.D. (1733–1815), author, was a native of Aberdeen, and educated at the university there. At an early period he obtained the patronage of the Duke of Northumberland, who employed him as private secretary both at Alnwick Castle and in London. Subsequently he for some time had charge of the library bequeathed by Dr. Williams for the special use of nonconforming clergy, and he also officiated at a meeting-house near the Tower. On resigning this charge he declined to exercise for the future any part of the ministerial function. When a new edition of the ‘Cyclopædia’ of Chambers was proposed, he was engaged as tentative editor, and besides drawing out a plan wrote some articles. One of the articles was submitted to Dr. Johnson, who excised large portions, expressing the opinion at the same time that the ‘redundance’ was not the ‘result of inability’ but of ‘superfluous diligence.’ In the discussion which ensued with the publisher, Calder, in the opinion of Dr. Johnson, displayed an improper degree of ‘turbulence and impatience,’ and, declining to accede to the wishes of the publisher, was deprived of the editorship, which was conferred on Dr. Rees. In 1776 Calder drew up a plan of a periodical work called the ‘Selector.’ He also projected a ‘Foreign Intelligencer.’ While at Alnwick he made the acquaintance of Thomas Percy, afterwards bishop of Dromore, whom he assisted in preparing a new edition of the ‘Tatler,’ ‘Spectator,’ and ‘Guardian,’ with notes and illustrations. When Calder removed to London, the materials collected by Percy were relinquished into his hands, and afterwards used in various editions of these works published by Nichols, especially the ‘Tatler’ published in 6 vols. in 1786, in which Annotator means Calder. In 1789 he translated from the French Courayer's ‘Declaration of his last Sentiments on the different Doctrines of Religion,’ to which he prefixed a memoir of Courayer. To the new edition of the ‘Biographia Britannica’ he contributed an elaborate article on the Courten family. About 1789 he removed from Furnival's Inn to Croydon, where he formed an intimacy with Dr. Apthorp, of whom he contributed to Nichols several interesting particulars which were inserted in ‘Literary Anecdotes.’ He formed an extensive library, especially of classical and numismatic works, and also possessed a large cabinet of Greek and Roman coins. His last years were spent at Lisson Grove, London, where he died 10 June 1815.

[Nichols's Lit. Anecd. ix. 805, &c.; Nichols's Illustr. of Lit. iv. 799–848, &c.; Gent. Mag. lxxxv. (1815), 564.] 

CALDER, ROBERT (1650?–1723), clergyman of the Scottish episcopalian church, was a native of Elgin, and was born about 1650. He was educated at the university and King's College, Aberdeen. He was presented to the parish of Nenthorn in the presbytery of Kelso in 1689, but on 13 Sept. of the same year was deprived for refusing to read the proclamation of the estates declaring William and Mary king and queen