1763 in Scotland

Events from the year 1763 in Scotland.

Law officers

 * Lord Advocate – Thomas Miller of Glenlee
 * Solicitor General for Scotland – James Montgomery jointly with Francis Garden

Judiciary

 * Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Arniston, the younger
 * Lord Justice General – vacant until April; then Duke of Queensberry
 * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Tinwald, then Lord Minto

Events
[Boswell:] "Mr. Johnson, I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot help it." [Johnson:] "That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help."
 * 16 May – James Boswell is introduced to Samuel Johnson at Thomas Davies's bookshop in London. Boswell records the event:
 * 21–29 May – John Wesley travels in Scotland.
 * 26 June – stagecoach service between Glasgow and Greenock initiated.
 * July – construction of Coldstream Bridge across the border with England begins.
 * August 5–6 – Battle of Bushy Run (Pontiac's War) in Pennsylvania: 77th Regiment of Foot (Montgomerie's Highlanders) fight on the winning British side prior to disbandment. 78th Fraser Highlanders are also disbanded.
 * August 6 – the post of Historiographer Royal for Scotland is revived for Rev. William Robertson, Principal of the University of Edinburgh.
 * Before October? – a pamphlet promoting creation of a British colony of Charlotina in North America is published in Edinburgh.
 * 1 October – construction of first North Bridge, Edinburgh, begins, including drainage of eastern end of Nor Loch. The Edinburgh Physick Garden moves from a site by the loch to Leith Walk.

Births

 * March – Mary Campbell (Highland Mary), dairymaid, beloved and a muse of Robert Burns (died 1786)
 * 12 May – John Bell, surgeon (died 1820 in Rome)
 * 29 June – Charles Hope, Lord Granton, politician and judge (died 1851)
 * 9 August – James Leith, army officer and colonial governor (died 1816 in Barbados)
 * 10 September – James Thomson, weaver poet (died 1832)
 * 27 October – William Maclure, geologist of North America (died 1840 in Mexico)
 * 6 December – Mary Anne Burges, religious allegorist (died 1813 in England)
 * Approximate date – William McCoy, naval mutineer (suicide 1798 on Pitcairn Island)

Deaths

 * 5 March – William Smellie, obstetrician (born 1697)
 * 30 September – William Duff, 1st Earl Fife (born 1696)

The arts

 * March – James Macpherson, supposedly translating "Ossian", publishes Temora: An ancient epic poem; also this year Hugh Blair writes A Critical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian.
 * Before April? – English satirical poet Charles Churchill writes The Prophecy of Famine: A Scots Pastoral.
 * St Cecilia's Hall is opened by Edinburgh Musical Society as the first purpose-built concert hall in Scotland (architect: Robert Mylne).