Mackenzie, Sir George

Mackenzie, Sir George an eminent Scotch lawyer and politician, was born at Dundee in 1636, and was educated at St. Leonard's College. He deserves our notice, first, for his Religio Stoici, or a short Discourse upon several Divine and Moral Subjects (1663); his Moral Essay upon Solitude (1665); and his Moral Gallantry (1667); and also on account of his unhappy connection with the government of Charles II as criminal prosecutor in the memorable days of the Covenant. By his severity in this position he earned for himself the ugly name of the "bluidy Mackenzie;" nor, we fear, can it be disproved — in spite of his liberal antecedents — that he became a willing instrument of despotism. He has, however, written a defense of himself, entitled A Vindication of the Government of Charles II. After the Revolution Sir George retired to Oxford. He died in London May 2, 1691. See Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Am. Aluth. 2:1175, where many references are to be found.