BLACK

Adam ( son of Charles Black of Edinburgh, builder ). b. Charles st. Edin. 20 Feb. 1784; ed. at high sch. Edin.; opened a bookseller’s shop at 57 North bridge, Edin. 1808; published Edinburgh Review 1827 to death, and Encyclopædia Britannica , 7 ed. 22 vols. 1830–42, 8 ed. 22 vols. 1853–61, wrote many articles in it; master of the Merchant Company Edin. 1831; a member of the town council 1832; lord provost 1843–48; pres. of Philosophical Institution 1845; bought works of Sir Walter Scott on behalf of an a ociation of 60 persons for £27,000 March 1851; M.P. for Edinburgh 9 Feb. 1856 to 6 July 1865; retired from busine 1865. d. 38 Drummond place, Edin. 24 Jany. 1874. A bronze memorial statue of him in East Prince’s st. gardens was unveiled 3 Nov. 1877. A fine portrait of him by Sir J. W. Gordon is in the council room Edinburgh. Life of A. Black by A. Nicols on 1885; Crombie’s Modern A then i ans (1882) 179–83, portrait ; Proc. of Royal Soc. of Edin. viii , 467 (1865).