DONALDSON, Walter, a learned Scotish writer of the seventeenth century, was a native of Aberdeen, but the period of his birth has not been specified. His father was Alexander Donaldson, who is described as an esquire, his mother was Elizabeth the daughter of David Lamb of Dunkenny.^[1. Litera Prosapiae Alexandri Donaldson, Medicinae Doctoris, dated at Edinburgh 15 November 1642. This is the son of Walter Donaldson. MS. Adv. Lib. W. 6. 26. p. 21. According to this account, one of his ancestors was Elizabeth Hay, daughter of George earl of Errol. ] l In his youth, as he himself informs us, he attended David Cunningham, bishop of Aberdeen, and Sir Peter Young, during their embassy to the king of Denmark and to some of the princes of Germany. He returned to Scotland, but after a short residence he again visited the continent; and he now prosecuted.his studies in the university of Heidelberg, where the civil law was ably taught by the elder Gothofredus. It was perhaps in this university that he took the degree of LL. D.^[2. In the attested pedigree already quoted, we find mention made “Walteri Donaldson, Armigeri, Ctriusque Juris Doctorís apud Iiuppellam in Gallia;” but as Rochelle was not the seat of a university, we cannot but suspect the accuracy of the statement. A college, including a principal and four regents, was established there in the year 1561; but it did not obtain the privileges of a university, and had no law faculty, and no professor of law. (Expilly, Dictionnaire Géographique, Historique, et Politique des Gaules et de la France, tom. vi∙ p. 354.) ] While he resided at Heidelberg, he appears to have taken private pupils; for he mentions that he there read to some students a synopsis of ethics, which a young man named Werner Becker, a native of Riga, published without his consent or knowledge. This work, which was reprinted in Britain as well as in Germany, bears the title of “Synopsis Moralis Philosophiae, in. libris.” Ex officina Pal-theniorum, 1604, 8vo. He likewise complains that Keckermann had too unscrupulously availed himself of his labours, and he specifies a curious instance of this plagiarism. Donaldson afterwards settled in France, where he was appointed principal of the College of Sedan, and at the same time discharged the duties of professor of moral and natural philosophy, and of the Greek language; so that his attainments must have been various, and his labours not inconsiderable. In this protestant seminary he was associated with two of his learned countrymen: Andrew Melville was one of the professors of divinity, and John Smith was one of the professors of philosophy.^[3. M‘Crie’s Life of Melville, vol. ii. p. 420. ] His next publication, an arrangement in Greek and Latin of passages extracted from Diogenes Laertius, is entitled “Synopsis Locorum Communium, in qua Philosophiae Ortus, Progressus, &c. ex Diogene Laertio digeruntur.” Francof. 1612, 8vo. At Sedan he continued to reside for the space of sixteen years, and was then invited to open a college at Charenton, near Paris; but the attempt was immediately resisted, and it seems to have been ultimately frustrated by the jealousy of the papists. In order to occupy himself during the dependance of the legal process, he prepared for the press another learned work: “Synopsis Oeconomica, aut l 'ore G. Donaldsono Scoto-Britanno, Abredonensi, J. C. ad celsissimum Carolum, Walliae Principem.” Paris. 1620, 8vo. It was reprinted at Rostock, 1624, 8vo. And another edition speedily followed, Francofurti, 1625, 8vo. Bayle considered this as a book which deserved to be read.^[4. Bayle, Dictionaire Historique et Critique, tom. ii. p. 1013. ] With respect to the subsequent history of the author, we have not been able to collect any information; but it is not improbable that he resumed his station at Sedan, and there ended his days. Elizabeth Goffin, describing herself as the widow of Donaldson, addressed to Sir John Scot a letter dated at Sedan on the 15th of April 1630.^[5. Epistolae doctorum Virorum ad Jo. Scotum, N° 22‰ MS. Adv. Lib. In the pedigree, she is described as the legitimate daugh ter “Joannis Goffan de Mostancells prope seden, et Joan, de Hen.” For seden, we must apparently read Sedanurn. The entire transcript, which is in the hand-writing of Robert Myln, is far from being accurate. In the preceding line, Donaldson’s wife is called Hoffan. Her real name appears to have been Goffin. ] From this letter it appears that he left several children. (x.) [7:8:110]