James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton
Scottish peer and astronomer (1702–1768) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, KT, FRS (1702 – 12 October 1768) was a Scottish peer and astronomer who was president of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh from its foundation in 1737 until his death in 1768.[1] He also became president of the Royal Society on 24 March 1764, and was a distinguished patron of science, and particularly of astronomy.
The Earl of Morton | |
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16th President of the Royal Society | |
In office 1764–1768 | |
Preceded by | George Parker |
Succeeded by | James Burrow |
Personal details | |
Born | 1702 (1702) Edinburgh, Scotland, UK |
Died | 12 October 1768(1768-10-12) (aged 65–66) |
He was born in Edinburgh as the son of George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton and his second wife Frances Adderley. He graduated MA from King's College, Cambridge, in 1722.[2][3] In 1746 he visited France, and was imprisoned in the Bastille, probably as a Jacobite.[4] He had a long lasting tendency to protest against the actions of the British government.