Background
The fourth and youngest son of Janetus Irving of Langholm, Dumfriesshire, by Helen, daughter of Simon Little, he was born at Langholm on 5 December 1778.
The fourth and youngest son of Janetus Irving of Langholm, Dumfriesshire, by Helen, daughter of Simon Little, he was born at Langholm on 5 December 1778.
After education at Langholm, he entered Edinburgh University in 1796, and in 1801 graduated Master of Arts Giving up a plan to enter the church, Irving for a time studied law, but then began to write. In 1808 the University of Aberdeen conferred on Irving the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws, and in the same year he was candidate for a chair of classics in Belfast, but withdrew before the election.
He taught a few university students who boarded with him. In 1820 Irving became librarian of the Faculty of Advocates. He passed his first vacation at the University of Göttingen, under the terms of his appointment, and in time was awarded an honorary Göttingen degree.
In the 1830s he is listed as living on the south side of The Meadows at 6 Meadow Place.
In 1848 the curators of the library wished Irving to resign his post. He retired, built up a private library of about seven thousand volumes, and died at Meadow Place, Edinburgh, on 11 May 1860.
In 1810 Irving married the daughter of Robert Anderson. She died in 1812 after the birth of a son.
In 1813 he printed a Memorial of Anne Margaret Anderson, for private circulation.