David Laing LLD (20 April 1793 – 18 October 1878) was a Scottish antiquary.
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Laing was born on 20 April 1793, the son of William Laing (1761–1831), a bookseller in Edinburgh, and his wife Helen Kirk.[1] They lived and worked from the head of Chessels Court on the Canongate.[2]
He was educated at Canongate Grammar School and then attended the University of Edinburgh. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to his father. They formed W & D Laing Booksellers at 49 South Bridge, living at Ramsay Lodge at 66 Lauriston in 1830.[3] Shortly after the death of his father in 1837, Laing was elected to be Librarian of the Signet Library replacing Macvey Napier, a post he retained until his death. Apart from general bibliographical knowledge, Laing was best known as a student of the literary and artistic history of Scotland.[4]
In 1864 he was awarded an honorary doctorate (LLD) by the University of Edinburgh.[5]
Laing was struck with paralysis in October 1878 while in the Signet Library, and it is said that, on recovering consciousness, he looked about and asked if a proof of Wyntoun had been sent from the printers. He died a few days afterwards, aged 85, at his home, 68 Promenade in Portobello.[6] He is buried in New Calton Burial Ground in east Edinburgh. The grave lies on the north wall near the northeast corner.
His library was sold at auction by Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge over a period of 31 days, and realised £16,137. He bequeathed his collection of manuscripts to the University of Edinburgh.[7]
Laing published no original books but edited the works of others. Of these, the major ones are: William Dunbar's Works (2 vols., 1834), with a supplement added in 1865; Robert Baillie's Letters and Journals (3 vols.; 1841–42); John Knox's Works (6 vols.; 1846–64); Poems and Fables of Robert Henryson (1865); Andrew of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland (3 vols.; 1872–79); and Sir David Lyndsay's Poetical Works (3 vols.; 1879).
For over 50 years, Laing was a member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and contributed over 100 papers to its Proceedings. He was an original member of and the long-standing secretary to the Bannatyne Club, many of whose publications were edited by him.
