MILLAR, James, M.D., whose name is well entitled to notice here, on account of his connection with this work, was horn in the town of Ayr, on the 4th of February 1762. He received the early part of his education in the Academy at Ayr, where he acquired considerable knowledge of the learned languages. He afterwards passed through the ordinary curriculum of the literary, philosophical, and theological classes in the university of Glasgow, in order to qualify himself to enter the church of Scotland; and, as is usual for young men déstined to that profession, employed part of his time in the business of private teaching. Having been induced by his friend Dr Porteons to go out to Jamaica as tutor in a gentleman’s family, he remained in that island for four years; and upon returning home, he was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Irvine. He afterwards for a considerable time officiated as chaplain to the university of Glasgow. His success in this vocation did not, however, correspond with his expectations; and, being naturally possessed of an acute and aspiring mind, he turned his thoughts to the study of medicine. He accordingly removed to Edinburgh, and completed his medical course in this university, where he received his degree. He then proceeded to Paisley, and continued to exercise the duties of his profession for some years in that place; but as he had always been distinguished by an ardent love of science, he was induced to return to Edinburgh, as likely to furnish occupation more congenial to his taste and views. He was at first engaged in writing for, or in superintending, one or other of the periodical miscellanies then published in this city; but a more extensive and important field was at length opened to his abilities and industry, by the proprietors of this Encyclopaedia, with whom he entered into an agreement to superintend a new and improved edition of it, being the fourth. The third edition consisted of eighteen volumes, to which was appended a Supplement in two; but it was resolved, from the first, to extend the fourth to twenty volumes, and Dr Millar had the satisfaction of conducting· this great undertaking from first to last, and of being instrumental in introducing into the work, notwithstanding the limited means at his disposal, a variety of new treatises, besides other improvements, not less required though not so prominent, and many corrections. Having abandoned all other occupations, in order to devote himself exclusively to this work, he took possession of the editorial house, connected with the printing establishment belonging to the proprietors, and there he continued to reside till the completion of the undertaking. This was the happiest as well as the most useful period of his life. The house he occupied was small but comfortable; and it contained a very useful collection of books of reference and general literature, to which the proprietors continued to add from time to time; so that he was not only enabled to furnish his contributors with the materials of their labours, but to carry on his own, without stirring abroad in quest of the necessary books. As chemistry and natural history were the sciences which he chiefly studied, and to which, indeed, he was enthusiastically devoted, the new articles which he himself contributed to the work have been mostly superseded, and replaced by others more in unison with the rapid progress of knowledge in these departments; but it is due to his memory to mention the following, as affording proofs both of his industry and the range of his acquirements: Cetology, Chemistry, Conchology, Crystallization, Dyeing, Dynamics, Erpetology, Furnace, Galvanism, Mineralogy, Ores, and the analysis of Stones. Some of these treatises were afterwards republished, we believe, in separate forms. About the same period that he completed his labours upon the Encyclopaedia, namely, in 1810, he gave to the world a new and greatly improved edition of Williams’s Mineral Kingdom, in two volumes octavo. Although entirely a work of practical experience, the result of a confined occupation in the coal and mining districts of the country, Dr Millar so enlarged and expanded it, as to render it a not unacceptable present to the scientific reader. In an appendix, he gave an extended view of the sciences of mineralogy and geology, which was necessarily precluded by the limited knowledge and experience of Mr Williams. Although geology since that period has made singular and unexpected advances, this part of the publication deserves to be noticed, as including a more copious detail of geological facts than had at that time been presented to the public.

The only other literary undertaking in which Dr Millar engaged was the Encyclopaedia Edinensis, the ostensible design of which was to present to the public, in a few volumes, a succinct and accessible epitome of general knowledge, suited to the great mass of the community. But in consequence of the embarrassed affairs of the proprietors, the undertaking was for a time suspended, and he did not live to complete it. From this period Dr Millar relinquished all connection with literary undertakings, and officiated for several years as physician to the Edinburgh Dispensary, the duties of which situation he discharged with a zeal and philanthropy beyond all praise. By those who knew him well Dr Millar was greatly esteemed. He was an agreeable and intelligent companion, whose conversation was acceptable as well to men of the world as to men of science. Though he lived a life of labour, his rewards were but small; and this, joined to the failure of some of his attempts to establish himself as a lecturer on chemistry and mineralogy, contributed somewhat, in the later period of his life, to sour his temper; but he always manifested a liberal and independent spirit, and took [7:15:81]a warm interest in the progress of knowledge, as well as in the welfare of its cultivators. He died at Edinburgh on the 13th of July 1827, leaving a widow and several children.