Henry Mackenzie, a Scottish author, born in Edinburgh in August, 1745, died there, Jan. 14, 1831. He was educated at the university of Edinburgh, studied law there and in London, and became attorney for the crown in Edinburgh. His novel " The Man of Feeling " was published anonymously in 1771. Its popularity induced a Mr. Eccles of Bath to lay claim to the authorship, and to support his pretensions by a copy transcribed in his own hand, with interlineations and corrections. It became necessary, therefore, for Mackenzie to acknowledge himself the author. His second novel, "The Man of the World " (1783), was followed by "Julia de Roubigne." He was the editor of the "Mirror," which appeared once a week for 17 months from January, 1779, and contributed to it 42 papers; and of the " Lounger," which continued for about two years from February, 1785, to which he furnished 57 papers. Among these are his " Story of La Roche " and a kindly criticism of the poems of Burns. For the highland society he wrote a " Report on the Ossianic Controversy," against the genuineness of the poems.

He was likewise the author of political tracts in the tory interest, and in 1804 received the appointment of comptroller of taxes for Scotland. His collected works (8 vols., 1808) contain three tragedies, two of which had been performed.