from the Irish courts to the house of lords, and in the great case of Lord Dungannon v. Smith, in June, 1845, delivered two masterly arguments, which were eulogized by the lord-chancellor and many of the law lords, including Lord Brougham and Baron Parke. Napier now turned his attention to the house of commons, and in 1847 contested the representation of Trinity college with Mr. Shaw. Though on that occasion unsuccessful, he was in the following year, upon the resignation of Mr. Shaw, returned without opposition. Napier continued to represent his university up to 1858, and took an active and able part in all the important discussions of the period, especially upon the subjects of law reform, and the appointment of a minister for the department of justice, making a high character as a statesman and an orator. Upon the accession of Lord Derby as prime minister in March, 1852, Napier was appointed attorney-general for Ireland, a post which he held till the resignation of the Derby ministry in January, 1853. Upon the return of Lord Derby to power in March, 1858, Napier was raised to the highest office in his profession, being appointed lord-chancellor of Ireland, holding the seals till the resignation of the ministry in June, 1859. A volume containing the most important decisions of Lord-chancellor Napier has been published, which evidence the industry, care, and learning which he brought to bear upon his judgments. Since his retirement from professional life, Napier has not been inactive. To the improvement of the youth of his native land he has particularly directed his energies; and as a public lecturer has eminently served the cause of education. His able course of lectures on Butler's Analogy of Religion to the Course and Constitution of Nature, was delivered by him to the Dublin Young Men's Christian Association during the early part of 1862, to which he added a prize, awarded to the best answerer. He has also given a valuable and instructive lecture on Edmund Burke, which has been published. As a lawyer, a scholar, and a statesman, Napier is entitled to a high place amongst his countrymen.—J. F. W.
NAPIER, Macvey, editor of the Edinburgh Review for eighteen years, and professor of conveyancing in the university of Edinburgh, was the son of John Macvey of Kirkintilloch, by a daughter of Napier of Craigannet. He was educated in the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and after the usual legal training was admitted as a writer to the signet in 1799. His talents and attainments gave promise of high distinction in his profession; but his attachment to literary and philosophical studies withdrew him from the more lucrative business of law, and made his professional subordinate to his literary pursuits. His first production as an author appeared in 1818, and was entitled "Remarks illustrative of the scope and influence of the philosophical writings of Lord Bacon." At an early age he had been elected librarian to the writers to the signet, and at a subsequent period he was appointed professor of conveyancing in the university of Edinburgh. He afterwards obtained from the whigs one of the clerkships of the court of session, on which he resigned his office of librarian. When Mr. Constable, in 1814, purchased the copyright of the Encyclopædia Britannica, Napier was selected to superintend the publication of his supplement to this valuable repertory of knowledge, a duty which he discharged with marked discretion and ability. He also edited the seventh edition of the Encyclopædia itself, and by his influence and zealous efforts succeeded in rendering that great work every way worthy of the country. Mr. Napier had for a considerable period been an occasional contributor to the Edinburgh Review, when he succeeded Francis Jeffrey as editor. The mode in which he discharged the duties of the editorship during the long period of eighteen years, secured for him the confidence and esteem both of the contributors, and of the whig party; and his own contributions though few in number were always distinguished by sound thought, research, perspicuity, and good taste. His health was for several years very infirm, and he occasionally suffered much; but his cheerfulness never forsook him, and he was able till the close to enjoy his literary pursuits and the society of his friends. Mr. Napier died 11th February, 1847, in the seventieth year of his age.—J. T.
* NAPIER, Mark, a diligent contributor to Scottish historical biography, was born at Edinburgh in 1798, and belongs to the distinguished family which produced the inventor of logarithms, the conqueror of Scinde, and the historian of the Peninsular war. Educated for the Scottish bar, Mr. Napier was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1820, and was appointed in 1844 sheriff of Dumfriesshire His first work was devoted to the biography, especially the scientific biography of the inventor of logarithms, "Memoirs of J. Napier of Merchiston," published in 1834. In the following year appeared his "History of the partition of the Lennox," an attempt to solve an obscure problem in the peerage-history of Scotland, and determine who was the rightful heir to the ancient, original earldom of Lennox. With the aid of family papers discovered in the Napier charter chest, he wrote and published in 1838, "Montrose and the Covenanters," an earnest and strenuous endeavour to vindicate Montrose and his career. In 1839 he edited Napier of Merchiston's unpublished treatise, De arte logistica, written before the invention of logarithms. In 1840 appeared his "Life and Times of Montrose," supplementing and completing his former work. Having made further discoveries of papers illustrative of the biography of Montrose, Mr. Napier edited in 1848-50 for the Maitland Club, "Memorials of Montrose and his Times." Finally, in 1856, he embodied in a new work all the results of his long researches into the biography, and his matured views on the character of Montrose, and published his "Memoirs of the Marquis of Montrose." Stimulated by the severe verdict pronounced by Lord Macaulay in his History of England on the character and career of Claverhouse, Mr. Napier set to work to "rehabilitate" him, and in 1859-62 appeared with that object, "Memorials of Graham of Claverhouse." Mr. Napier has also published "Commentaries on the law of prescription in Scotland," 1854, and has edited for the Spottiswood Society, vols. ii. and iii. of Spottiswood's History of the Church of Scotland.—F. E.
* NAPIER, Robert, the eminent shipbuilder and engineer, was born at Dumbarton, in Scotland, on the 18th of June, 1791. His forefathers for many generations had lived in the county of Dumbarton. His father was one of the most respected burgesses of Dumbarton, by trade a blacksmith. He had a strong conviction of the importance of a liberal education. Accordingly his son was put to school at an early age, and received a good classical and mathematical education, there being at that time teachers of great ability in the grammar-school of Dumbarton. By a gentleman of the name of Trail, a man of fine taste and varied accomplishments, he was instructed in architectural and mechanical drawing; and to that gentleman Mr. Napier conceives he is indebted for his taste for mechanical pursuits and works of art. His desire to become a good practical mechanic was so great that when about fourteen years of age he urged his father to allow him to leave the school and begin to work. This his father for some time resisted, being desirous to send him to college; but the son finally succeeded, and was apprenticed for five years to the trade of a blacksmith with his father. His spare time was at this period chiefly occupied in making small tools and drawing instruments of steel, making and repairing guns, gun-locks, &c. After finishing his apprenticeship Mr. Napier continued to work with his father for some time. He did the smith work connected with some extensive calico printing works, where he was brought into contact with some of the best millwrights (millwrights being at that time the only practical engineers in the kingdom), and he had also the opportunity of becoming acquainted with a great variety of ingenious machinery. About the end of the year 1811, being desirous to see how business was conducted in other places, he resolved to go to Edinburgh. Getting his father's permission to go, he left Dumbarton with the sum of five pounds and a certificate of character from the parish minister. He wandered about Edinburgh fourteen days without getting employment, and when he did get it, although considered an expert workman, his wages were only 10s. 6d. per week. Living being at that period excessively dear, it will be seen that he could not live sumptuously; but being determined not to be dependent on his father, he managed to support himself. This continued about nine months, after which he obtained employment from a firm of which Robert Stevenson was a partner. There he received better wages, and had better opportunity of seeing his business. He afterwards left Edinburgh, and for a short time wrought with his father at Dumbarton, and with Mr. William Lang in Glasgow, who was much employed in making manufacturing machinery. In May, 1815, Mr. Napier received from his father the sum of £50, with £45 of which he purchased the tools and good-will of a small blacksmith business in the Gallowgate of Glasgow, leaving him £5 of clear capital. He commenced with two apprentices, and after many difficulties and trials, by strict attention to business, he is now at the head of works in which three thousand
