, an excellent printer, was born at Aberdeen, where his father was
, an excellent printer, was born at
Aberdeen, where his father was an eminent merchant during the reign of Charles II. and in 1695 set up a printinghouse in Edinburgh, which reduced him to many hardships,
being frequently prosecuted before the privy-council of
Scotland for printing in opposition to a patent granted to
one Mr. Anderson some years before. In 1711, however,
Mr. Watson, in conjunction with Mr. Freebairn, obtained
a patent from queen Anne, and they published several
learned works; and some of them were printed on very
elegant types, particularly a Bible, in crown 8vo, 1715, a
matchless beauty, and another in 4to. He wrote also a
curious “History of Printing,
” in Scotland, which is
prefixed to his “Specimens of Types,
” a rare little volume,
printed in the early part of the last century. He died at
Edinburgh, Sept. 24, 1722.