Ballantyne James

Ballantyne, James, was born at Kelso, where, in 1795, he started a newspaper and a printing establishment. In 1802 he published Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, and moving to Edinburgh, founded in conjunction with his brother the publishing firm of John Ballantyne and Co., in opposition to Constable, Scott having a half share of the business. Financial difficulties soon overtook the partners, and Constable triumphed. Ballantyne became an auctioneer of books, and died at Edinburgh in 1821.