To test the hypothesis that the rise of intellectual eminence in 18th century Scotland is related to educational reforms which occurred during that era, a sample of 375 eminent Scotsmen was selected and relevant biographical information was collected. In addition, the parishes in which the eminent men were either born or educated were investigated, along with a random sample of noncontributing parishes. The findings indicate that various factors were related to the emergence of eminent men, including population growth and concentration, change in the nature of the economy, and a general increase in prosperity. Although educational reform and innovation at the elementary level and extension of university education were also found to be significantly associated with eminence, degrees of eminence and level of educational achievement were not related. In general, those areas which diverted a portion of their resources to educational reform produced a significant proportion of the eminent Scots in the 18th century. (Author/JH)