John Douglas was born - On this day in history

John Douglas, the Scottish bishop and scholar was born on 14 July 1721 in Pittenweem. Douglas was the son of a merchant and was educated in Dunbar, attaining a MA degree at Balliol College, Oxford at the age of 23. He embarked upon a career in the church and as chaplain to the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, was present at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745.

Despite attaining high status within the church - he held the offices of Bishop of Carlisle, Dean of Windsor and Bishop of Salisbury - he was fundamentally unsuited to religious life, taking luxurious summer breaks at fashionable resorts and spending the winter months in London, where he involved himself in heated and often controversial literary arguments with writers and commentators of the day.