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George Ridpath (died 1726) was a Scottish journalist, who wrote in the Whig interest. ==Life== He was brought up by his mother at Colbrandspath, Berwickshire, until he went to Edinburgh University. In 1681, he was tutor, or servant, at Edinburgh to the sons of a Mr. Gray, and took an active part in the burning of the Pope in effigy by the students; the clerk to the council wrote that Ridpath was not then a boy. He was kept in irons for some days, and was charged with threatening to burn the provost's house, but after five weeks' imprisonment he was banished from Scotland. He went to London to seek a livelihood by his pen. Soon after the Glorious Revolution he was an active London journalist. In 1696, Ridpath was acting as a sort of spy on the bishop of Glasgow and on Dr. Alexander Monro. The name George Ridpath is among those who graduated at Edinburgh in 1699.〔 Ridpath conducted the Whig journal the ''Flying Post or Postman'' which, according to John Dunton, sold well. It was established in 1695. On 4 September 1712 William Hurt was arrested for printing in the paper scandalous and seditious reflections on Queen Anne and the government. On the 8th Ridpath was committed to Newgate Prison for being the author of three libels in the ''Observator'', to which he became a contributor in succession to John Tutchin in 1712, and in the ''Flying Post''; but he was released on bail. On 23 October Ridpath and Hurt appeared in the court of Queen's Bench, and were continued on their recognisances. Jonathan Swift complained about bail being allowed for the "Scotch rogue" Ridpath, who continued to write when at liberty. On 19 February 1713 Ridpath was tried at the London Guildhall. The trial was to a large extent a party matter, and Ridpath's counsel were Sergeant Pratt, Sir Peter King, and Messrs. Nicholas Lechmere, St. Leger, Fortescue, and Spencer Cowper. A collection had been made on Ridpath's behalf, and Whigs were told that unless they subscribed two guineas they would not be admitted to be members of the party. After a hearing of eight hours, the jury found Ridpath guilty of two of the libels, and sentence was postponed. On 1 May his recognisances of £600 were estreated, because he had failed to appear, in accordance with an order made on 27 April, and on the 25th a reward of £100 was offered by Henry Bolingbroke for his discovery; but without result: Ridpath had fled to Scotland, and then to Holland.〔 In Ridpath's absence the ''Flying Post'' was carried on by Stephen Whatley, under his general directions. In 1714 it was found that the printer, Hurt, had dealings with Daniel Defoe, Ridpath's rival journalist, and the ''Flying Post'' was taken out of his hands. Defoe came to Hurt's assistance, and on 27 July published, through Hurt, a rival newspaper, ''The Flying Post and Medley''. Ridpath by now lived at Rotterdam, but early in 1714 feared arrest.〔 After the accession of George I, Ridpath returned to England, and was made one of the patentees for serving the commissioners of the customs in Scotland with stationery wares. The ''Flying Post'' still attacked the Tories, and Ridpath made slanderous charges against Nathaniel Mist and others.〔 In 1722 Ridpath was secretary to a lottery at Harburg-Wilhelmsburg in Hanover, with a trading company. The king denied having sanctioned the lottery, and a committee of the House of Commons examined Ridpath in December and January 1723. Most of the company's money had been lost in the South Sea Company, and a bill was introduced to suppress the lottery. In February, the trustees announced, through Ridpath, that they would return all tickets on application. After this date Ridpath avoided old friends; it was alleged he had married two wives at the same time, and after his death Lord Grange repeated this report, adding that it was said that Ridpath had joined with the Arians and non-subscribers, and slighted those who once supported him.〔 Ridpath died on 5 February 1726, the same day as his old antagonist Abel Roper. He left all his estate to his wife, Esther Ridpath, daughter of George Markland. His only son had died in 1706. Ridpath's papers fell into the hands of Dr. James Fraser, one of Wodrow's correspondents.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「George Ridpath」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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