1779 in Scotland

Events from the year 1779 in Scotland.

Law officers

 * Lord Advocate – Henry Dundas;
 * Solicitor General for Scotland – Alexander Murray

Judiciary

 * Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Arniston, the younger
 * Lord Justice General – The Viscount Stormont
 * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Barskimming

Events

 * Bowmore distillery on Islay is established.
 * Cotton mill at Rothesay, Bute, is established.
 * New bridge over River Deveron between Banff and Macduff, designed by John Smeaton, is completed.
 * Bridge of Awe is completed.
 * David Hume's Dialogues concerning Natural Religion are published posthumously and anonymously.

Births

 * 1 May – Alexander Morison, physician and psychiatrist (died 1866)
 * 2 May – John Galt, novelist and entrepreneur (died 1839)
 * 25 August – Robert Barclay Allardice ("Capt. Barclay"), competitive walker (died 1854)
 * 26 October – Henry Cockburn, judge and man of letters (died 1854)
 * 20 December – Alexander Walker, physiologist (died 1852)
 * 22 December – Ralph Wardlaw, Presbyterian clergyman (died 1853)
 * James Barr, composer (died 1860)
 * James Marr Brydone, naval surgeon (died 1866 in England)
 * Patrick Campbell, army officer and diplomat (died 1857)
 * John Douglas, 7th Marquess of Queensberry, Whig politician (died 1856)
 * James Forbes, inspector-general of army hospitals (died 1837 in London)
 * James Mudie, settler in Australia (died 1852)
 * Hugh Murray, geographer (died 1846 in London)

Deaths

 * 10 March (bur.) – John Rutherford, physician (born 1695)
 * John Dalrymple, political writer (born 1734)

The arts

 * George Richardson's Iconology is published.