John Arbuthnot

John Arbuthnot FRS (c.1729 – 27 December 1797) was a British agriculturist, the Inspector General of the Irish Linen Board. Career John Arbuthnot Esq., of Mitcham, was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1770. His appointment stated that he was thus: "versed in natural knowledge, & having made several considerable improvements in Husbandry, being desirous of becoming a fellow of the Royal Society, is recom[m]ended by us on our personal knowledge of him, as being likely to become a usefull & valuable member" On agriculture, Arbuthnot authored a work entitled An inquiry into the connection between the present price of provisions, and the size of farms. : With remarks on population as affected thereby. To which are added, proposals for preventing future scarcity. By a farmer. (London: : Printed for T. Cadell ..., 1773) Personal life He was son of George Arbuthnot of Kinghornie (baptized 15 February 1688, d. China 18 July 1732). His father was originally a captain in Queen Anne's Guard, entered the East India Company service, and later became a wine merchant in France. John Arbuthnot's mother was Margaret Robinson (d. 1729), the daughter of Thomas Robinson, a portrait painter, and she was half-sister of Anastasia Robinson.