Alexander Donaldson (bookseller)

[2] He was also known for selling cheap copies of books after their copyright had expired in disregard to London booksellers' opinions on literary property.

Two years later, on 29 August 1750, he was made a Burgess and Guild Brother of Edinburgh[2] by right of his father in lieu of an apprenticeship.

In January 1764, they began printing and publishing the Edinburgh Advertiser, though Reid remained with the newspaper for less than a year.

Donaldson maintained at least two book shops while publishing the twice-weekly Advertiser, one being at the Strand, London, and the other in Edinburgh.

Donaldson and his older brother John also owned a bookstore in London, selling books that were printed in Scotland until July 1773 at which time John remained at the Arundel Street shop, and Alexander moved to St Paul's Churchyard.

[2] In 1774, after ten years printing and publishing the Edinburgh Advertiser, Donaldson turned it over to his 22-year-old son, James.

Donaldson was a notable "purveyor of cheap reprints"[12] that were no longer protected by the Statute of Anne[8] in a time known as the "Battle of the booksellers".

The English poet Samuel Johnson disliked Donaldson, and criticised him, saying, "[Donaldson] is a fellow who takes advantage of the law to injure his brethren..."[13] While he made a fortune in his reprint business, he and others also bore the expense of legal actions in this regard.