Martin Martin

Martin Martin (?1699-1719) was a Scottish writer, he is best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland (1695), particularly noted for its information on St Kilda. A native of Bealach, near Duntulm, Skye, his work has some authenticity thanks to the fact that he was raised in Gaeldom. Dr Johnson however, believed him to be credulous, and indeed, some of his descriptions of second sight and other superstitions appear to be this way.

He appears to have come from the Highland middle class, the tacksmen, who were factors on lairds estates. His brother may have been tacksman at Flodigarry on Skye.

He graduated MA from the University of Edinburgh in 1681.

Nothing seems to be known of Martin Martin in his later years, except that he entered Leyden University, 6th March, 1710, and there graduated as MD, afterwards residing in London until his death unmarried, in 1719.

Both Johnson and Boswell read his book and took a copy of it along with them on their famous tour in 1773. Johnson felt Martin had failed to record the more interesting aspects of life at the time and thought this was due to Martin being unaware of just how different the social structure of the Western Isles was in comparison to the modern world.