Arbuckle, James

(1700-?1734)

   Born in Belfast and educated at Glasgow University, Arbuckle's political views and activities conflicted with the university's Calvinistic philosophy. He published a number of poems and became part of the circle of the Edinburgh poet-bookseller Allan Ramsay. He moved to Dublin in 1724-25 and was involved in the "Molesworth Circle," a group that met for literary and scientific discussion at the country house of Viscount Robert Molesworth (16561725). For two years he was the principal writer of the Dublin Weekly Journal of 1723-25. His "Snuff " is a mock-heroic poem containing some curious information respecting snuff-taking and snuff-boxes of the time. He contributed to the Edinburgh Miscellany of 1721, and in the same year he produced a poem titled "Glotta" describing the scenery about the Clyde in winter and the "sport" of golf.

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. The Glasgow Story (www.theglasgowstory.com). The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th edition. Margaret Drabble, ed. Oxford University Press, 2000.