Anderson, JOHN

Anderson, JOHN, founder of the college in Glasgow bearing his name, was born in the parish of Roseneath, Dumfartonshire, in 1726. He studied at the university of Glasgow, in which he was for four years professor of Oriental Languages; in 1760 he was transferred to the chair of Natural Philosophy. In addition to his usual class in physics, he instituted one for artisans, which he continued to teach to the end of his life. In 1786 appeared his Institutes of Physics, which went through five editions in ten years. He invented a species of gun, the recoil of which was stopped by the condensation of common air within the body of the carriage; but having in vain endeavoured to attract the attention of the British government to it, he went to Paris in 1791, and presented his model to the National Convention. It was hung up in their hall, with the following inscription over it: 'The gift of Science to Liberty.' Afterwards, when the allied monarchical forces had drawn a military cordon around the frontiers of France, Anderson ingeniously suggested the expedient, which was adopted, of making small balloons of paper, to which newspapers and manifestoes might be tied, and so carried to Germany. Anderson died in 1796, and by his will he directed that the whole of his effects, of every kind, should be devoted to the establishment of an educational institution in Glasgow, for the use of the unacademic classes.