Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Maclaine, Archibald
MACLAINE, ARCHIBALD (1722–1804), divine, son of Lauchlin Maclaine and brother of James Maclaine [q. v.], the 'gentleman highwayman,' born at Monaghan in 1722, was educated at Glasgow, where he studied under Francis Hutcheson [q. v.] for the presbyterian ministry. In 1746 he became assistant to his maternal uncle, Robert Milling, a pastor of the English church at the Hague, and in 1747 was admitted co-pastor. He was greatly respected in Holland for his learning, and for a time was preceptor to the Prince of Orange. Ill-health and the disturbances consequent on the French invasion led him to resign his charge in 1796. He settled at Bath, where he died on 25 Nov. 1804, and was buried in the abbey church there. On the monument erected to his memory by his friend Henry Hope he is described as D.D. His portrait was engraved by C. H. Hodges.
Maclaine published in 1765, in 2 vols. 4to, a translation, with notes, of Mosheim's 'Ecclesiastical History,' reprinted in 1768 in 5 vols. 8vo, and in 1782, 1806, 1810, and 1825, in 6 vols. 8vo. He also translated from the French J. J. Vernet's 'Dialogues on some Important Subjects,' 1753, and addressed to Soame Jenyns [q. v.] a 'Series of Letters on occasion of his " View of the Internal Evidence of Christianity,"' 1777; 2nd edit. 1778.
[Chalmers's Biog. Dict.; Steven's Hist. of the Scottish Church, Rotterdam, pp. 309-11; George III, his Court and Family, ed. 1821, ii. 78-80; Aa's Biographisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden, xii. 37-8; Evans's Cat. of Engraved Portraits, ii. 259.]