He was born in Dumfriesshire, and brought up in Prestonpans; he witnessed the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745. Carlyle was educated at the University of Edinburgh (M.A. 1743), University of Glasgow and University of Leiden. From 1748 until his death he was minister at Inveresk in Midlothian, and during this long career rose to high eminence in his church not only as leader of the moderate or "broad" Church section, but as moderator of the General Assembly 1770 and dean of the Chapel Royal in 1789.
His striking personal appearance earned him the nickname of "Jupiter Carlyle"; and his autobiography (published 1860), though written in his closing years and not extending beyond the year 1770, is interesting as a picture of Scottish life, social and ecclesiastical, in the 18th century. Carlyle's memory recalled the Porteous Riots of 1736, and less remotely his friendship with Adam Smith, David Hume, and John Home, the dramatist, for witnessing the performance of whose tragedy Douglas he was censured in 1757.
This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.