Minerva, Mars and Mercury. Scotto-Dutch Intellectual Exchange, 1680–1730

AbstractWhile it is generally recognized that the later seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries marked a high point in the intellectual relationship between Scotland and the Dutch Republic, much of the detail of this exchange is still unknown. The article provides concrete data about the presence of Scottish students at Dutch universities in the period 1680–1730. It discusses their background, motivation, intellectual and other interests, choice of courses, and contacts both in the Netherlands and at home. It concludes with an assessment of the impact of Scottish students' experience of Dutch universities on Scottish intellectual life and institutions.