David Laing

David Laing LLD (20 April 1793 – 18 October 1878) was a Scottish antiquary. Life Laing was born on 20 April 1793, the son of William Laing (1761–1831), a bookseller in Edinburgh, and his wife Helen Kirk. They lived and worked from the head of Chessels Court on the Canongate. 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. 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.