James Grant (author)

James Grant (1822–1887) was a Scottish novelist and miscellaneous writer.

Grant was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a distant relation of Sir Walter Scott. He was a prolific author, writing some 90 books, including many yellow-backs. Titles included Adventures of an Aide-de-camp, One of "The six hundred", The Scottish musketeers and The Scottish cavalier.

Many of his 56 novels are about important characters and events in Scottish history. In 1853 he founded the National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights. Grant is known today as an historian, primarily because of his thoroughly-researched six-volume Old And New Edinburgh, published in 1880 by Cassell.

Grant was born at Edinburgh 1 August 1822. He was eldest son of John Grant and grandson of James Grant of Corrimony (1743?–1835) advocate. From his grandfather, James Grant, the novelist inherited strong Jacobite proclivities, and he was connected by descent with the Veitches of Dawyck, Peeblesshire, and thus possessed a strain of border blood. His mother, who died when he was a child, belonged to the Watson family of Overmains, not unknown in the artistic annals of Scotland, and through her he was intimately related to Sir Walter Scott, the Swintons of Swinton, and other eminent families.

The father, Captain John Grant, of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders, had served with distinction throughout the Peninsular war. After his wife's death Captain Grant obtained a command in Newfoundland, whither he sailed in 1833, taking with him his three sons. After spending six years in American barracks Grant returned home with his father, who had resigned his command, in 1839.

A year later (in 1840), through the influence of Lord Hill, under whom Captain John Grant had served in Spain, Grant was gazetted to an ensigncy in the 62nd Foot, and joined the provisional battalion at Chatham. He was soon appointed to command the depot, but in 1843 resigned his commission and entered the office of Mr. Rhind, architect, Edinburgh.

Grant became a skilled draughtsman, but other and literary tastes were showing themselves, and he now devoted himself to novel writing, speedily becoming a most prolific writer. His first novel, and in some respects his best, The Romance of War, appeared in 1845. It owed its birth to the many anecdotes of Spain and the French war, which had been related to him by his father, and described the adventures of the Gordon highlanders in the Peninsula. The vivid description of battles speedily procured for it an enormous sale; but it only produced £20 for its author. A sequel entitled The Highlanders in Belgium soon followed. Then came The Adventures of an Aide-de-Camp, of which the popularity equalled that of his first novel. The Yellow Frigate, Bothwell, Jane Seton, and many more succeeded, and from that time to his death never a year passed without one, often two, and even three novels being produced. His last works of fiction were 'Love's Labour Won' (1888), dealing with incidents of Burmese dacoity, and Playing with Fire (1887), a story of the war in the Soudan.

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