CAMPBELL, John, an eminent historical, biographical,
and political writer, was born at Edinburgh on the 8th
March 1709. His father, Robert Campbell of Glenlyon,
was captain of horse in a regiment commanded by the
then Earl of Hyndford; and his mother, Elizabeth, daugh-
ter of Mr Smith of Windsor in Berkshire, had the honour
of claiming a descent from the poet Waller. John, their
fourth son, when five years old, was carried from Scot-
land to Windsor, where he received the rudiments of his
education; and at a proper age he was placed as clerk
to an attorney, being intended for the law. This pro-
fession, however, he never followed; but by a close ap-
plication to the acquisition of knowledge of various kinds,
he became qualified to appear with advantage in the lit-
tery world. In 1736, before he had completed his thir-
tieth year, he gave to the public, in two volumes folio, the
Military History of Prince Eugene and the Duke of Mar-
borough, enriched with maps, plans, and cuts. From the
reputation which he thus acquired, he was soon afterwards
solicited to take part in the Ancient Universal History.
But whilst employed in this capital work, Mr Campbell
found leisure to entertain the world with other produc-
tions. In 1739 he published the Travels and Adventures
of Edward Brown, Esq. Svo. In the same year appeared
his Memoirs of the Bashaw Duke de Ripperda, Svo, re-
printed, with improvements, in 1740. These memoirs
were followed, in 1741, by the Concise History of Spanish
America, Svo. In 1742 he published a letter to a friend
in the country, on the publication of Thurloe's State Pa-
pers; giving an account of their discovery, importance,
and utility. The same year was distinguished by the ap-
pearance of the first and second volumes of his Lives of
the English Admirals, and other eminent British Seamen.
The two remaining volumes were completed in 1744; and
not long afterwards the whole was translated into German.
This was the first of Mr Campbell's works to which he
prefixed his name, and it is a performance of great and
acknowledged merit. In 1743 he published Hermippus
Reviewed; a second edition of which, much improved and
enlarged, came out in 1749, under the title of Hermippus
Redivivus, or the Sage's Triumph over Old Age and the
Grave. This tract had its origin in a foreign publication, but
it was much improved by the ingenuity and learning of Mr
Campbell. In 1744 he gave to the public, in two volumes
folio, his Voyages and Travels, on Dr Harris's plan, being
an improvement of that collection which had appeared in
1705. The time and care employed by Mr Campbell in
this important undertaking did not prevent his engaging
in another great work, the Biographia Britannica, which
began to be published in weekly numbers in 1745, and ex-
tended to seven volumes folio; but our author's articles
were confined to the first four volumes, of which, Dr Kip-
pis observes, they constitute the prime merit.
When Mr Dodsey formed the design of The Preceptor,
which appeared in 1748, Mr Campbell was engaged to as-
sist in the undertaking; and the parts written by him
were the Introduction to Chronology, and the Discourse
on Trade and Commerce, both of which displayed an ex-
tensive fund of knowledge upon these subjects. In 1750
he published the first separate edition of his Present State
of Europe; a work which had been originally begun in
1746, in the Museum, a very valuable periodical per-
formance, printed for Dodsey. There is no production of
our author's which has met with a better reception. It
passed through six editions, and fully deserved this en-
couragement. The next undertaking which called for the
exertion of our author's abilities and learning, was The
Modern Universal History. This extensive work was
published, from time to time, in detached parts, till it
amounted to sixteen volumes folio; and a second edition,
in octavo, began to make its appearance in the year 1759.
The parts of it written by Mr Campbell were, the histories
of the Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish, French, Swedish, Da-
nish, and Ostend Settlements in the East Indies; and the
histories of the kingdoms of Spain, Portugal, Algarve,
Navarre, and that of France, from the time of Clovis till
1656. Our author having thus distinguished himself in
the literary world, the degree of LL.D. was conferred up-
on him by the university of Glasgow, on the 18th June
1784.
His principal and favourite production was, A Political
Survey of Great Britain, in two volumes 4to, published
a short time before his death; a work in which the extent
of his knowledge, and the ardour of his patriotic spirit, are
equally conspicuous. Dr Campbell's reputation was not
confined to his own country, but extended to the remotest
parts of Europe. As an instance of this, it may be men-
tioned, that in the spring of 1774, the empress of Russia
was pleased to honour him with the present of her picture,
drawn in the robes worn in that country in the days of
John Bassilowitz, grand duke of Muscovy, who was con-
temporary with Queen Elizabeth.
In 1736 Dr Campbell married Elizabeth, daughter of
Mr Benjamin Vobe, of Leominster, in the county of Here-
Campbell, ford, with whom he lived nearly forty years in the greatest conjugal harmony and happiness. So wholly did he dedicate his time to books, that he seldom went abroad; but to relieve himself as much as possible from the inconveniences incident to a sedentary life, it was his custom, when the weather permitted, to walk in his garden, or in some room of his house, by way of exercise. By this method, united with the strictest temperance in eating, and an equal abstemiousness in drinking, he enjoyed good health, though his constitution was delicate. His domestic manner of life did not prevent him from cultivating an extensive and honourable acquaintance. His house, especially on a Sunday evening, was the resort of the most distinguished persons of all ranks, and particularly of those who had rendered themselves eminent by their knowledge or love of literature. He received foreigners who were fond of learning with an affability and kindness which excited in them the highest respect and veneration; and his instructive and cheerful conversation made him the delight of his friends. During the latter part of his life he was agent for the province of Georgia in North America, and he died at the close of the year 1775, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Dr Campbell's literary knowledge was by no means confined to the subjects which he more particularly treated of as an author. He was well acquainted with the mathematics, and had read much in medicine. He was eminently versed in the different parts of sacred literature, and his acquaintance with the languages extended not only to Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, among the ancient, and to French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch, among the modern; but likewise to the oriental tongues. He was particularly fond of the Greek language. His attainment of such a variety of knowledge was exceedingly assisted by a memory surprisingly retentive, and which indeed astonished every person with whom he was acquainted. In communicating his ideas, he had an uncommon readiness and facility; and the style of his works, which had been formed upon the model of that of the celebrated Bishop Sprat, was perspicuous, easy, flowing, and harmonious. To all these accomplishments of the understanding Dr Campbell joined the more important virtues of a moral and pious character. His disposition was gentle and humane, and his manners kind and obliging. He was a tender husband, an indulgent parent, a kind master, a firm and sincere friend. To his Creator he paid the constant and sincere tribute of devotion and reverence; and in his correspondence he showed that a sense of piety was always nearest his heart.