John Nicoll, the author of this Diary, appears to have resided a considerable portion of his life in Edinburgh, in his professional character of Writer to the Signet and Notary Public. In the following work he has not indulged in allusions to his own personal affairs; and as there were more individuals of the fame name and profession at that time, it might not be easy, if indeed it were of much importance, to distinguish them. He has, however, repeatedly informed us that he was a native of Glasgow, assigning as the reason for his annually recording the names of the persons who were chosen Magistrates of that burgh, "his relation to that town," wherein "he was born and bred."