Laing, MALCOLM — Chambers's Encyclopaedia

Laing, MALCOLM, a meritorious Scottish historian, was born on the mainland of Orkney in 1762. He was educated at Kirkwall and Edinburgh University, and was called to the bar in 1785, but never became a successful advocate. He died in November 1818. He wrote in 1793 the last volume of Henry's History of Great Britain, and in 1800 published his own History of Scotland from James VI. to Anne. In the 1804 edition occurs his attack on Queen Mary for participation in Darnley's murder. His Poems of Ossian is a fierce onslaught on Macpherson.