- John Hill Burton
John Hill Burton (
August 22 ,1809 –August 10 ,1881 ) was a Scottishhistorian ,jurist , andeconomist . He wasHistoriographer Royal 1867-1881.Burton was born and educated in
Aberdeen , the son of W K Burton by his spouse Eliza Paton. After graduating, he moved toEdinburgh and studied for the Bar, being admitted to theFaculty of Advocates in 1831. However, he had little practice, and in 1854 was appointed Secretary to the Prison Board of Scotland, and in 1877 a Commissioner of Prisons.He became at an early period of his life a contributor to "
Blackwood's Magazine " and other periodicals, and in 1846 published a life ofDavid Hume , which attracted considerable attention, and was followed by Lives of Lord Lovat and Lord President Forbes. He began his career as ahistorian by the publication in 1853 of "History of Scotland from the Revolution to the Extinction of the last Jacobite Insurrection", to which he added (1867-70) "History of Scotland from Agricola's Invasion to the Revolution", in 7 vols., thus completing a continuous narrative. Subsequently he published a "History of the Reign of Queen Anne" (1880). Other works of a lighter kind were "The Book-Hunter" (1862), and "The Scot Abroad " (1864). Burton's historical works display much research and a spirit of candour and honesty. Burton was one of the first historians to introduce the principles of historical research into the study and writing of the history of Scotland.John Hill Burton married Isabella née Lauder (1810 - 1850) and died at Morton House, Edinburgh. He was interred in
Dalmeny Cemetery, but a monument to him, his wife and children is inDean Cemetery where they are buried.References
* "The Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh" edited by A S Cowper, and Euan S McIver, Edinburgh, 1992, ISBN 0-901061-54-9
*ources
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22136/22136-8.txt Project Gutenberg]
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