Claudius Buchanan Early Life 

‘By the age of twelve Claudius was by far the most knowledgeable boy in the school. Quiet and gentle, he was accepted without being either popular or unpopular. With his father the dominie, which is what they called a teacher, things could have been very difficult.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024). 

More about Claudius Buchanan 

Hugh Pearson, who was Claudius Buchanan’s biographer, wrote that ‘He was the son of Mr. Alexander Buchanan, a man of respectable learning, and of excellent character, who was highly esteemed in various parts of Scotland, as a laborious and faithful teacher, and who a few months previous to his death was appointed rector of the grammar school of Falkirk.’

‘His mother [Janet Buchanan née Somers] was the daughter of Mr. Claudius Somers, one of the Elders of the Church at Cambuslang about the period of the extraordinary occurrences which took place in that valley, in consequence of the preaching of the celebrated Mr. Whitefield, in the year 1742. Notwithstanding the enthusiasm and extravagance which probably attended those remarkable scenes, it is unquestionable, that many were excited to a deep and lasting sense of real religion. Amongst this number was the grandfather of the subject of this Memoir; whose piety was imbibed by his daughter, the mother of Buchanan. By both these excellent persons he appears to have been carefully trained, from his earliest years, in religious principles and habits. He is described, by one of his surviving relatives, as having been distinguished from his youth by a lively and engaging disposition. He is said also to have recollected the serious impressions which were sometimes made upon his mind by the devotions of the paternal roof, and by the admonitions which his grandfather, from whom he derived his baptismal name, and who seems to have regarded him with peculiar affection, was accustomed to address to him occasionally in his study. And though, as it will afterwards appear, the instructions and example of these pious relatives were not immediately productive of any decided and permanent effect, he must be added to the number of those who ultimately derived essential benefit from having been brought up in the nurture “and admonition of the Lord;" and consequently as affording fresh encouragement to religious parents to pursue a course which has been so frequently crowned with success, and which is seldom, it may be hoped, altogether in vain.’

‘In the year 1773, at the age of seven years, young Buchanan was sent to a grammar school at Inverary in Argyleshire, where he received the rudiments of his education, and is said to have made considerable proficiency in the Latin and Greek languages. He continued at Inverary till some time in the year 1779, when he was invited to spend the vacation with his school-fellow, John Campbell, of Airds, near the island of Mull; and in the following year he received an appointment, which would be deemed extraordinary in this part of the kingdom, but is by no means uncommon in Scotland. This was, to be tutor to the two sons of Mr. Campbell of Dunstaffnage, one of whom was, in the year 1803, Captain of the East India Company's ship, United Kingdom. As he had then only just completed his 14th year, his literary acquirements can scarcely be expected to have been extensive. Yet the very appointment to such an office, at so early an age, is in itself honourable to his character, and his continuance in it during nearly two years may suffice to shew, that his conduct proved satisfactory to his employer. About this time he was again under considerable impressions of a religious nature, which he communicated to his excellent grandfather, who carefully cherished them, and assured him of his prayers. For a few months he continued in this promising course, spending much time in devotion amidst the rocks on the sea-shore near which he was then residing but at length his serious thoughts were dissipated by the society of an irreligious companion, and his goodness, like that of many a hopeful youth, vanished "as a "morning cloud, and as the early dew;" nor was it till many years afterwards, that painful and salutary convictions led him to seck that God whose early invitations he had ungratefully refused.’

‘The residence of Buchanan at Dunstafnage might probably have been longer, had it not interfered with a necessary attention to the progress of his own education. In the year 1782 he therefore left the family of Mr. Campbell, and proceeded to the University of Glasgow; where he remained during that and the following year, diligently pursuing the various studies of the place. Whether his academical course was interrupted by the failure of his pecuniary resources, or was the result of deliberation and choice, is uncertain. It appears only that he left Glasgow in the year 1784, and went to the Island of Islay, for the purpose of becoming tutor to the sons of Mr. Campbell of Knockmelly. In the following year, from some cause, obviously not unfavourable to his character, we find him removed to Carradell in Kintyre, and performing the same office to the sons of Mr. Campbell of that place. In the year 1786, however, Buchanan returned to the college at Glasgow; and a certificate in that year, from the Professor of Logic, testifies not only that he had regularly attended upon the public lectures of that class, but that, in the usual examination and exercises, he had given commendable proofs of attention, diligence, and success in the prosecution of his studies; and that he had behaved with all suitable propriety of conduct and manners. At the conclusion of the academical session he returned to Carradell, and resumed his employment as a tutor; in which capacity it is presumed that he continued until the commencement of the autumn in the following year; when he quitted his native country, under very singular circumstances, and entered upon a project, on which, as it afterwards appeared, depended the future tenor of his life.’