Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Grant, James (1802-1879)
GRANT, JAMES (1802–1879), journalist, born at Elgin, Morayshire, in 1802, when nineteen became a contributor to the ‘Statesman’ and other metropolitan papers. In 1827 he (with others) founded the ‘Elgin Courier,’ of which he became editor. In 1833, still keeping an interest in the ‘Courier,’ he came to London, where he was employed first on the ‘Morning Chronicle,’ and then on the ‘Morning Advertiser.’ He was editor of the latter paper from 1850 to 1871. After this connection ceased he published his chief work, ‘The Newspaper Press, its Origin, Progress, and Present Position’(3 vols., 1871-2; German translation by Duboc, Hannover, 1873), readable enough, but marred by true journalistic looseness and inaccuracy. Grant was a devout Calvinist, and many of his works touch on theological subjects. He died at 35 Cornwall Road, Bayswater, 23 May 1879. Grant conducted several other London periodicals. These were: ‘The London Saturday Journal’ (new series, 1839, &c.); ‘Grant's London Journal’ (new series, 1840, &c.), and the ‘Christian Standard’ (1872, &c.) He also wrote: 1. ‘Life of Mary Queen of Scots,’ 1828. 2. ‘Random Recollections of the House of Commons, and Random Recollections of the House of Lords,’ 1836; a second series under title of ‘The British Senate,’ 1838. 3. ‘The Great Metropolis,’ 1836 and 1837. 4. ‘The Bench and the Bar,’ 1837. 5. ‘Sketches in London,’ 1838; new edit. 1861. 6. ‘The Metropolitan Pulpit, or Sketches of the most Popular Preachers in London,’ 1839. 7. ‘Travels in Town,’ 1839. 8. ‘Portraits of Public Characters,’ 1841. 9. ‘Lights and Shadows of London Life,’ 1842. 10. ‘Pictures of Popular People,’ 1842. 11. ‘Joseph Jenkin, or Leaves from the Life of a Literary Man,’ 1843. 12. ‘Impressions of Ireland and the Irish,’ 1844. 13. ‘Paris and its People,’ 1844. 14. ‘Records of a Run through Continental Countries, embracing Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Savoy, and France,’ 2 vols., 1853. 15. ‘The Brother Born for Adversity,’ 1856. 16. ‘Who is Right, and Who Wrong? correspondence between T. Binney and J. Grant … including Mr. Grant's suppressed rejoinder,’ 1857. 17. ‘God is Love,’ 1858. 18. ‘The Comforter,’ 1859. 19. ‘Our Heavenly Home,’ 1859. 20. ‘Personal Visit to the Chief Scenes of the Religious Revivals in the North of Ireland,’ 1859. 21. ‘The Glorious Gospel of Christ,’ 1861. 22. ‘God's Unspeakable Gift,’ 1861. 23. ‘The Foes of Our Faith and How to Defeat Them,’ 1862. 24. ‘Grace and Glory,’ 1863. 25. ‘The Dying Command of Christ,’ 1863. 26. ‘Truths for the Day of Life and the Hour of Death,’ 2nd edit. 1864. 27. ‘Steps and Stages on the Road to Glory,’ 1865. 28. ‘The End of all Things, or the Coming and Kingdom of Christ,’ 1866. 29. ‘Hymns of Heaven, or the Song of the Saints in Glory,’ 1867. 30. ‘Seasons of Solitude, or Moments of Meditation on the Things of Eternity,’ 1868. 31. ‘The Religious Tendencies of the Times, or how to deal with the Deadly Errors and Dangerous Delusions of the Day,’ 1869. 32. ‘Memoirs of Sir G. Sinclair, Bart.,’ 1870. 33. ‘Sources of Joy in Seasons of Sorrow, with other Help on the Heavenward Way,’ 1871. 34. ‘The Plymouth Brethren, their History and Heresies,’ 1875. 35. ‘Papist Versions of the Scriptures and the British and Foreign Bible Society,’ 1876. 36. ‘Meditations on the Loving Words of Our Lord,’ 1877.
[Times, 26 May 1879, p. 9 ; Morning Advertiser, 27 May 1879; Athenæum, 31 May 1879, p. 697; Notes and Queries, 4th ser. x. 55, xi. 451, 6th ser. ii. 15; Cat. Advocates' Library; Brit. Mus. Cat.]