(Alexander), principal of the university of Aberdeen in the reign of James VI. of Scotland, was born in the year 1538. He studied first at Aberdeen; and was afterwards sent over to France, where, under the famous Cajusius, he applied himself to the study of the civil law. In the year 1563, he returned to Scotland, and took orders. Whether he was ordained by a bishop or by prebendaries, is a matter of uncertainty. In 1568, he was appointed minister of Arbuthnot and Logy-Buchan; and in the following year, Mr Alexander Anderson being deprived, our author was made principal of the king's college at Aberdeen in his room. In the general assembly which met at Edinburgh in the years 1573 and 1577, he was chosen moderator; and to the end of his life was an active supporter of the reformed religion. He died in 1583, in the 45th year of his age; and was buried in the college church of Aberdeen. We are told in the Biographia, that he was eminent as a poet, a philosopher, a mathematician, a lawyer, a divine, and a physician. He wrote Orationes de origine & dignitate juris, printed at Edinburgh, 1572, 4to. His contemporary Thomas Maitland wrote a copy of Latin verses on the publication of this book: they are printed in the Delic. Poetar. Scot. He published Buchanan's History of Scotland in the year 1582.

(Dr John), was born in Kincardineshire, near Montrose, and was educated at Aberdeen, where he received his degree in physic. The difficulties in which his family was involved on account of their political principles making it necessary that he should court preferment in another country than his own, he went to London. The first character in which he acted there was a teacher of the mathematics; and while he was employed in this manner, he had occasion to publish his Examination of Dr Woodward's Account of the deluge. This tract, which abounded with learning and good sense, served to make him known. He published soon after his Essay on the usefulness of mathematics. In the profession of physic he advanced by slow but sure degrees; and his reputation in it was at length fully established, by a successful cure which he performed on Prince George of Denmark. Queen Anne, in consequence of it, appointed him one of her physicians in ordinary in 1709; and, some years before this, his extensive knowledge had procured his admission into the Royal Society. His talents and worth were the strongest recommendations of him to the men of wit and learning of his day; and he entered into particular connection with Pope and Swift, with whom he joined in publishing several volumes of miscellanies; among which are the well-known Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus, a satire of infinite humour on the abuses of human learning. In 1715, he assisted Pope and Gay in the Three hours after marriage; a dramatic performance, which was brought upon the stage without success. In 1727, he published Tables of ancient coins, weights, and measures; a work of great use, and real erudition. In 1732, his valuable tract concerning The nature and choice of aliments appeared; which, the year after, was followed by his remarks on The effects of air on human bodies. A constitutional asthma had distressed him at different periods of his life, and proved fatal to him in 1734.—Dr Arbuthnot appears to have been in all respects a most accomplished and amiable person. He has showed himself equal to any of his contemporaries in wit and learning, and he was superior to most men in the moral duties of life, in acts of humanity and benevolence. His letter to Mr Pope, written as it were upon his death-bed, and which no one can read without the tenderest emotion, discovers such a noble fortitude of mind at the approach of his dissolution, as could be inspired only by a clear conscience, and the calm retrospect of an uninterrupted course of virtue. In 1751, came out, in two vol. 8vo. printed at Glasgow, The miscellaneous works of the late Dr Arbuthnot; which are said to comprehend, with what is inserted in Swift's Miscellanies, all the pieces of wit and humour of this admirable author.