(Archibald), earl and marquis of Argyle, was the son of Archibald earl of Argyle, by the lady Anne Douglas, daughter of William earl of Morton. He was born in the year 1598; and educated in the profession of the Protestant religion, according to the strictest rules of the church of Scotland, as it was established immediately after the reformation. During the commonwealth he was induced to submit to its authority. Upon the restoration, he was tried for his compliance; a crime common to him with the whole nation, and such a one as the most loyal and affectionate subject might frequently by violence be induced to commit. To make this compliance appear the more voluntary and hearty, there were produced in court, letters which he had wrote to Albemarle, while that general governed Scotland, and which contained expressions of the most cordial attachment to the established government. But, besides the general indignation excited by Albemarle's discovery of this private correspondence; men thought, that even the highest demonstrations of affection might, during jealous times, be exacted as a necessary mark of compliance from a person of such distinction as Argyle; and could not, by any equitable construction, imply the crime of treason. The parliament, however, scrupled not to pass sentence upon him, and he suffered with great constancy and courage.

(Archibald), earl of Argyle, son to the former, had from his youth distinguished himself by his loyalty, and his attachment to the royal family. Tho' his father was head of the covenanters, he himself refused to concur in any of their measures; and when a commission of colonel was given him by the convention of estates, he forbore to act upon it till it should be ratified by the king. By his respectful behaviour, as well as by his services, he made himself acceptable to Charles when that prince was in Scotland; and even after the battle of Worcester, all the misfortunes which attended the royal cause could not engage him to desert it. Under Middleton he obstinately persevered to harass and infect the victorious English; and it was not till he received orders from that general, that he would submit to accept of a capitulation. Such jealousy of his loyal attachments was entertained by the commonwealth and protector, that a pretence was soon after fallen upon to commit him to prison; and his confinement was rigorously continued till the restoration. The king, sensible of his services, had remitted to him his father's forfeiture, and created him earl of Argyle; and when a most unjust sentence was passed upon him by the Scots parliament, Charles had anew remitted it. In the subsequent part of this reign Argyle behaved himself dutifully; and though he seemed not disposed to go all lengths with the court, he always appeared, even in his opposition, a man of mild dispositions and peaceable deportment.

A parliament was summoned at Edinburgh in summer 1681, and the duke was appointed commissioner. Besides granting money to the king, and voting the indefeasible right of succession, this parliament enacted a test, which all persons possessed of offices, civil, military, or ecclesiastical, were bound to take. In this test the king's supremacy was asserted, the covenant renounced, passive obedience assented to, and all obligations disclaimed of endeavouring any alteration in civil or ecclesiastical establishments. This was the state of the test as proposed by the courtiers; but the country party proposed also a clause of adherence to the Protestant religion, which could not with decency be rejected. The whole was of an enormous length, considered as an oath; and, what was worse, a confession of faith was there ratified which had been imposed a little after the the reformation, and which contained many articles altogether forged by the parliament and nation. Among others, the doctrine of resistance was inculcated; so that the test being voted in a hurry, was found on examination to be a medley of absurdity and contradiction. Though the courtiers could not reject the clause of adhering to the Protestant religion, they proposed, as a requisite mark of respect, that all princes of the blood should be exempted from taking that oath. This exception was zealously opposed by Argyle; who observed that the sole danger to be dreaded for the Protestant religion must proceed from the perversion of the royal family. By insisting on such topics, he drew on himself the secret indignation of the duke of York, of which he soon felt the fatal consequences.

When Argyle took the test as a privy counsellor, he subjoined, in the duke's presence, an explanation which he had beforehand communicated to that prince, and which he believed to have been approved by him. It was in these words: "I have considered the test, and am very desirous of giving obedience as far as I can. I am confident that the parliament never intended to impose contradictory oaths: therefore I think no man can explain it but for himself. Accordingly I take it as far as it is consistent with itself and the Protestant religion. And I do declare that I mean not to bind myself, in my station, and in a lawful way, from wishing and endeavouring any alteration, which I think to the advantage of church or state, and not repugnant to the Protestant religion and my loyalty: and this I understand as a part of my oath." The duke, as was natural, heard it with great tranquillity: no one took the least offence: Argyle was admitted to sit that day in council: and it was impossible to imagine that a capital offence had been committed where occasion seemed not to have been given so much as for a frown or reprimand.

Argyle was much surprized a few days after, to find that a warrant was issued for committing him to prison; that he was indicted for high treason, leafling-making, and perjury; and that from the innocent words abovementioned an accusation was extracted, by which he was to forfeit life, honours, and fortune. It is needless to enter into particulars, where the iniquity of the whole is so evidently apparent. Though the sword of justice was displayed, even her semblance was not put on; and the forms of law were preferred to sanctify, or rather aggravate, the opprobrium. Of five judges, three did not scruple to find the guilt of treason and leafling-making to be incurred by the prisoner: a jury of 15 noblemen gave verdict against him; and the king being consulted, ordered the sentence to be pronounced, but the execution of it to be suspended till further orders. Argyle, however, saw no reason to trust to the justice or mercy of such enemies: He made his escape from prison, and till he could find a ship for Holland he concealed himself during some time in London. The king heard of his lurking place, but would not suffer him to be arrested. All the parts, however, of his sentence, so far as the government in Scotland had power, were rigorously executed; his estate confiscated, his arms reversed and torn. Having got over to Holland, he remained there during the remaining part of the reign of Charles II. But thinking himself at liberty, before the coronation of James II. to exert himself in order to recover the constitution by force of arms, he concerted measures with the duke of Monmouth, and went into Scotland, to assemble his friends: but not meeting with the success he expected, he was taken prisoner; and being carried to Edinburgh, was beheaded upon his former unjust sentence, June 30, 1685. He showed great constancy and courage under his misfortunes: on the day of his death he ate his dinner very cheerfully; and, according to his custom, slept after it a quarter of an hour or more, very soundly. At the place of execution he made a short, grave, and religious speech; and, after solemnly declaring that he forgave all his enemies, submitted to death with great firmness.

Campbell (John), duke of Argyle and Greenwich, grandson of the former, was born on the 10th of October, 1680; and, on the very day when his grandfather suffered at Edinburgh, fell out of a window three pair of stairs high, without receiving any hurt. At the age of 15, he had made a considerable progress in classical learning. His father then perceived and encouraged his military disposition, and introduced him to king William, who in the year 1694 gave him the command of a regiment. In this situation he remained till the death of his father, in 1703; when becoming duke of Argyle, he was soon after sworn of queen Anne's privy-council, made captain of the Scotch horseguards, and appointed one of the extraordinary lords of session. In 1704, her majesty reviving the Scottish order of the thistle, his grace was installed one of the knights of that order, and was soon after appointed high-commissioner to the Scotch parliament; where, being of great service in promoting the intended union, he was on his return created a peer of England, by the titles of baron of Chatham and earl of Greenwich, and in 1710 was made knight of the garter. His grace first distinguished himself in his military capacity at the battle of Oudenard; where he commanded as brigadier-general, with all the bravery of youth, and the conduct of a veteran officer. He was present under the duke of Marlborough at the siege of Ghent, and took possession of the town. He had also a considerable share in the victory obtained over the French at the battle of Malplaquet, by dislodging them from the wood of Sart, and gaining a post of great consequence: In this sharp engagement, several musket-balls passed through the duke's cloths, hat, and periuke. Soon after this hot action, he was sent to take the command in Spain; and after the reduction of Port Mahon, he returned to England. His grace having now a seat in the house of lords, he censured the measures of the ministry with such freedom, that all his places were disposed of to other noblemen: but at the accession of George I. he recovered his influence. At the breaking out of the rebellion in 1715, he was made commander-in-chief of his majesty's forces in North Britain; and was the principal means and cause of the total extinction, at that time, of the rebellion in Scotland, without much bloodshed. In direct opposition to him, or that part of the army he commanded, at the head of all his Campbells was placed Campbell earl of Braidalbin, of the same family and kindred, by some fatal error that ever misguided and misled that unhappy family of the Stewarts and all its adherents. The consequence was, that both sets of Campbells, from family affection, Campbell, refused to strike a stroke, and retired out of the battle. He arrived at London March 6th 1716, and was in high favour; but, to the surprise of people of all ranks, he was in a few months divested of all his employments; and from this period, to the year 1718, he signalized himself in a civil capacity, by his uncorrupted patriotism and manly eloquence. In the beginning of the year 1719, he was again admitted into favour, appointed lord-steward of the household, and in April following was created duke of Greenwich. He continued in the administration during all the remaining part of that reign; and, after his late majesty's accession, till April 1740; when he delivered a speech with such warmth, that the ministry being highly offended, he was again dismissed from his employments. To these, however, on the change of the ministry, he was soon restored; but not approving of the measures of the new ministry more than those of the old, he gave up all his posts for the last time, and never after engaged in affairs of state. He now enjoyed privacy and retirement; and died of a paralytic disorder, on the 4th of October 1743. To the memory of his grace a very noble monument was erected in Westminster-abbey, executed by the ingenious Roubiliac.

The duke of Argyle, though never first minister, was a very able statesman and politician, most steadily fixed in those principles he believed to be right, and not to be shaken or changed. His delicacy and honour were so great, that it hurt him to be even suspected; witness that application said to be made to him by one of the adherents of the Stewart family before the last rebellion in order to gain his interest, which was considerable both in Scotland and England. He immediately sent the letter to the secretary of state; and it vexed him much even to have an application made him, lest any person should think him capable of acting a double part. When he thought measures wrong or corrupt, he cared not who was the author, however great or powerful he might be; witness his boldly attacking the great duke of Marlborough in the house of lords, about his forage and army contracts in Flanders, in the very zenith of his power and popularity, though in all other respects he was the most able general of his time. The duke of Argyle, on all occasions, spoke well, with a firm, manly, and noble eloquence; and seems to deserve the character given of him by Pope:

Argyle the state's whole thunder born to wield, And shake alike the senate and the field.

Campbell (Dr John), a late writer, who distinguished himself by many esteemed literary productions; particularly as the author of a considerable part of The ancient and modern universal history, and of the Biographia Britannica. He wrote also The present state of Europe; The lives of the English admirals; and an ingenious whimsical tract on the means of attaining extraordinary longevity, entitled Hermitopurerevivens. The public are likewise indebted to him for a much improved edition of Harris's collection of voyages. But his principal and favourite work was, A political survey of Great Britain, 2 vols 4to, published a short time before his death; in which the extent of his knowledge, and his patriotic spirit, are equally conspicuous. He was, during the latter part of his life, agent for the province of Georgia in North America; and died at the close of the year 1775, in the 67th year of his age.