Eighteenth-century Scottish jurist and historian Thomas Erskine (1750-1823) was noted for his contributions to British law, his spirited defense of American patriot Thomas Paine, and his support for the French Revolution.

The youngest son in a noble Scottish family, Thomas Erskine excelled at law and gained renown as one of the most eloquent orators of his day. He had a brief tenure in the British Parliament, but his most significant contributions lay in the area of commercial law, where he maintained a substantial practice. His historical significance was the result of his defense of the revolutionary ideals of the age and his support of freethinkers against King George III.

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Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1750, Erskine was the third son of the tenth earl of Buchan. Despite their grand title, the Erskines lived on limited means; rather than an ancestral home, they lived in a...