Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 35.djvu/201

 , and the citizens of Edinburgh placed his portrait by Sir George Reid, P.R.S.A., in the council chamber. The public act on which he most prided himself was the establishment of the Heriot Free Schools in 1836, with the surplus funds of the trust, but his efforts failed to prevent the transference of these schools to the school board in 1884. He died at Newington House, Edinburgh, 26 April 1886, having married in 1829 Grant, youngest daughter of William Aitken, a merchant at Dunbar; she died in 1838. He married secondly, in 1836, Christina, daughter of William Renton; she died in 1841. He married thirdly, in 1848, Priscilla Bright, daughter of Jacob Bright of Rochdale.

A replica of Sir George Reid's portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.

McLaren published:


 * 1) 'History of the Resistance to the Annuity Tax under each of the four Church Establishments for which it has been levied,' 1836.
 * 2) 'Facts regarding the Seat-Rents of the City Churches of Edinburgh,' 1840.
 * 3) 'Evidence given before the House of Commons respecting the Annuity Tax,' 1861.
 * 4) 'History of the Annuity Tax and of the Smuggled Clause in the Act of 1809,' fourth ed. 1851.
 * 5) 'Information for Reformers respecting the Cities and Boroughs of the United Kingdom,' 1859.
 * 6) 'Facts respecting the Contagious Diseases Acts,' 1870.
 * 7) 'The C. D. Acts in India, Official Report of Mr. McLaren's Speech in the House of Commons,' a reprint, 1889.

 McLAREN, WILLIAM (1772–1832), Scottish poet, was born at Paisley in 1772, became a hand-loom weaver, and at one period went to Ireland as a manufacturer, but had to return owing to a too strong expression of political opinions. Latterly he opened a public-house in Paisley, and died there 2 May 1832. He developed an early taste for literature, and became intimate with [q. v.], whose volume of verse, published in 1807, was dedicated to him. In 1815 he edited, with a memoir, 'Poems and Songs' by Tannahill; and in 1818, also with a memoir, the posthumous works of his relative, James Scadlock, a minor Paisley poet. He collected his own verse, most of which is of slight merit, in two volumes, entitled respectively ' Emma, or the Cruel Father; a Poetical Tale, with other Poems and Songs' (1817), and 'Isabella, or the Robbers' (1827). He wrote also several pamphlets of ephemeral interest.

 MACLAUCHLAN, THOMAS (1816–1886), Scottish presbyterian divine and Gaelic scholar, born at Moy, Inverness, in January 1816, was youngest son of James Maclauchlan, minister of Moy. He was educated at the parish school and Aberdeen University, where he graduated M. A. in 1833. After studying divinity at Aberdeen and Edinburgh he was licensed to preach in 1837, and was appointed colleague and successor to his father. During the ecclesiastical disputes which led to the disruption Maclauchin supported the non-intrusionists, and was one of the body of ministers who walked from St. Andrew's Church, where the general assembly of the church of Scotland met, to Tanfield, where the first assembly of the disruption was held (1843). He subsequently visited Canada as a representative of the church. In 1844 he was minister at Stratherrick, Loch Ness, Inverness-shire, and in 1849 at Free St. Columba's, Edinburgh. He was a zealous supporter of the educational work of the free church in the highlands, and in 1850 succeeded [q. v.] as convener of committee on highlands and islands. In 1876 he was moderator of the free church assembly. He died at Edinburgh on 21 March 1886.

Maclauchlan took considerable interest in Celtic antiquities and literature, and for his work in this field the university of Aberdeen made him an LL.D. in 1864. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries for Scotland in 1866, served on its council from 1875 to 1878, and was vice-president from 1879 to 1882. He joined in the Ossianic controversy, maintaining that the poems were authentic, though occasionally altered and supplemented by Macpherson; and in 1859 he published at Edinburgh a Gaelic version of Ossian. His claims as a Celtic scholar rest mainly on his 'Book of the Dean of Lismore,' published in Edinburgh in 1862. He not only edited the original, but translated it into English and modern Gaelic. His 'History of the Early Scottish Church,' which appeared in Edinburgh in 1865, sketches the ecclesiastical history of Scotland from the first to the twelfth century. He is the author of the article on 'Gaelic Literature' in the 'Encyclopædia Britannica' (9th edit.) and of the chapter in Keltie's 'History of the Scottish Highlands' (vol. ii.) on 'Gaelic Literature, Language, and Music' His other published works are:  'The Depopulation system in the Highlands,' 1849; a series of papers contributed to the 'Witness' news-