A collection of 172 volumes from the library of Sir John Archibald Murray, Lord Murray (1779-1859), Lord Advocate and a Senator of the College of Justice. As a student at Edinburgh University, Murray was a member of the Juvenile Literary Society, of which Henry Brougham and Francis Horner were the leading spirits, and of the Speculative Society. When the third incarnation of the 'Edinburgh Review' was founded in 1802 he acted as one of the joint editors and continued as contributor to the periodical. The books are mainly on historical, economic and literary subjects, dating from the 16th century to the first half of the 19th century, including several works in French. Some of them were bound for Murray with his arms and crest on the spines.

Organisation

The books have been catalogued individually and have the shelfmark 'Lord Murray.'.

Acquisition

The collection was donated to the Advocates Library by Lord Murray in 1853. Ownership was transferred to the National Library after its foundation in 1925.