James Sibbald (bookseller)
James Sibbald | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1745/47 Whitlaw, Roxburghshire, Scotland |
| Died | 1803-04-08 |
| Occupation(s) | Publisher, bookseller, editor, writer |
| Known for | Founder of Edinburgh Magazine; editor of Edinburgh Herald; publisher of Chronicle of Scottish Poetry |
James Sibbald (1745/47–1803) was a prominent Scottish publisher, bookseller, editor, and writer operating out of Edinburgh. Originating from a farming family, he initially worked in agriculture before entering the book trade through employment at Charles Elliot’s shop. In 1783, he established his own bookselling enterprise. Sibbald was the founder of the Edinburgh Magazine, served as editor of the Edinburgh Herald, contributed scholarly articles on antiquarian subjects, and issued the Chronicle of the Poetry of Scotland in 1802.
Life
James Sibbald was born on 28 April 1745 to John Sibbald, a farmer from Whitlaw in Roxburghshire. His education took place at Selkirk Grammar School. After unsuccessful attempts at farming through leases of Newtown and Whitehillbrae farms, he relocated to Edinburgh in 1779 where he joined Charles Elliot’s publishing establishment. In 1780, Sibbald purchased Scotland’s earliest "circulating library," previously owned by Allan Ramsay, and operated as both bookseller and publisher from Parliament Square near the Royal Mile.
Walter Scott remembered visiting Sibbald’s circulating library to access rare collections of old ballads and romances, remarking on Sibbald’s refined literary taste despite his somewhat unpolished demeanor.
Sibbald’s commercial activities extended to publishing coloured mezzotints. In 1785, he launched the Edinburgh Magazine, or Literary Miscellany, which became a notable rival to the Scots Magazine. As editor, he contributed extensively on Scottish historical and antiquarian topics. Beginning in 1786, he championed Robert Burns by publishing the poet’s first serious critique in the magazine’s October edition. To concentrate on literary pursuits and publishing ventures, Sibbald sold his retail bookselling business to Lawrie & Symington; after 1792 his name no longer appeared on the magazine’s imprint, although it continued under their management for his benefit. The publication maintained a circulation between 600 and 700 copies until it merged with the Scots Magazine in 1803.
In July 1793, Sibbald introduced The Edinburgh Herald, acting as both editor and principal article author—a pioneering approach in Scottish journalism at that time—though the publication was short-lived.
From 1794 onwards, Sibbald leased his circulating library to Lawrie for an annual rent of £200 with allowances for new book acquisitions. After an unsuccessful period in London, he returned to Edinburgh in 1797 and published The Vocal Magazine, which featured curated English, Scots, and Irish tunes arranged for harpsichord or violin. The following year he released Record of the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ, outlining his perspective that Christ’s public ministry spanned approximately one year.
In 1799, Sibbald renewed his leasing agreement with Lawrie for twenty-one years at an annual rent of 100 guineas, with Lawrie responsible for purchasing new stock. Financial difficulties plagued the circulating library; eventually Lawrie returned control to Sibbald, who managed it until his death. His brother William attempted to sustain the business but achieved limited success before it was sold to Alexander Mackay, who greatly expanded its holdings—at one point amassing a collection of 38,000 volumes.
Sibbald’s most distinguished publication is the four-volume Chronicle of Scottish Poetry from the Thirteenth Century to the Union of the Crowns (1802), combining selections from Scottish poets with biographical commentary and a glossary. Sir Walter Scott lauded its glossary as indispensable for antiquarian collections. Additionally, in 1802 Sibbald privately printed fifty copies of Sir David Lindsay’s Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis.
He passed away at Leith Walk on 8 April 1803. Remembered for his eccentric yet kind-hearted character, Sibbald was actively involved in various social clubs. His likeness was captured by John Kay and Sir Henry Raeburn; Raeburn’s portrait is preserved by the Scottish National Gallery.
References
Bibliography
- Kay, John (1877). A Series of Original Portraits and Caricature Etchings. New Edition. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black. No. CLXII. pp. 410–414.
- Lockhart, J. G. (1837). Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Robert Cadell; London: John Murray and Whitaker and Co. p. 46.
- McDougall (2011). "Sibbald, James (1747–1803), bookseller and journal editor". In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press.
- Scott, Walter (1804). "Sibbald's Chronicle of Scottish Poetry". The Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal: for Oct. 1803 to Jan. 1804. Vol. 3. Edinburgh: D. Willison. p. 210.
External links
- Ockerbloom, John Mark, editor. "Sibbald, J. (James), 1745-1803". The Online Books Page. Accessed 24 May 2022.