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David Masson ( December 2, 1822 - October 6, 1907), was a Scottish writer.He was born at Aberdeen, and educated at the grammar school there and at Marischal College. Intending to enter the Church, he proceeded to Edinburgh University, where he studied theology under Dr Thomas Chalmers, with whom he remained friendly until the latter's death in 1847. However, abandoning his aspirations to the ministry, be returned to Aberdeen to undertake the editorship of the Banner, a weekly paper devoted to the advocacy of Free Kirk principles. After two years he resigned this post and went back to Edinburghto pursue a purely literary career. There he wrote a great deal, contributing to Fraser's Magazine , Dublin University Magazine (in which appeared his essays on Thomas Chatterton) and other periodicals. In 1847 he went to London, where he found wider scope for his energy and knowledge.
He was secretary (1851-1852) of the "Society of the Friends of Italy." In a famous interview with Elizabeth Barrett Browning at Florence he contested her admiration for Napoleon III. He had known Thomas de Quincey, whose biography he contributed in 1878 to the "English Men of Letters" series, and he was an enthusiastic friend and admirer of Thomas CarlyleFor the Carlyle Group, see Carlyle Group Thomas Carlyle ( December 4, 1795 February 5, 1881) was a Scottish essayist and historian, whose work was hugely influential during the Victorian era. He was born in Ecclefechan, Dumfries and Galloway, and was educ. In 1852Events January 14 President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte proclaims a new constitution for the French Second Republic. January 17 United Kingdom recognizes independence of the Transvaal Devil's Island penal colony opens February 11 First British public toilet he was appointed professor of English literature at University College, London, in succession to AH CloughArthur Hugh Clough ( January 1, 1819 November 13, 1861), English poet, was born at Liverpool. He came of a good Welsh stock by his father, James Butler Clough, and of a Yorkshire one by his mother, Anne Perfect. In 1822 his father, a cotton merchant, move, and from 1858 to 1865 be edited the newly established Macmillan's Magazine . In 18651865 is a common year starting on Sunday. Events January 31 American Civil War: Confederate General Robert E. Lee becomes general-in-chief. February 17 American Civil War: Columbia, South Carolina burns as Confederate forces flee from advancing Union forc he was selected for the chair of rhetoricRhetoric (from Greek ρητωρ, rhetor "orator") is one of the three original liberal arts or trivium (the other members are dialectic and grammar). While it has meant many different things during its 2500-year history, it is generally d and English literature at Edinburgh, and during the early years of his professorship actively promoted the movement for the university education of women. In 1879 he became editor of the Register of the Scottish Privy Council, and in 1893 was appointed Historiographer Royal for Scotland. Two years later he resigned his professorship.
His magnum opus is his Life of MiltonJohn Milton ( December 9, 1608— November 8, 1674) was an English poet, most famous for his blank verse epic Paradise Lost''. His father, John Milton Sr. was a well-off scrivener, and his grandfather a wealthy landowner in Oxfordshire who, hewing to the ol in Connexion with the History of His Own Time in six volumes, the first of which appeared in 1858 and the last in 1880. He also edited the library edition of Milton's Poetical Works (3 vols., 1874), and De Quincey's Collected Works (14 vols., 1889-1890). Among his other publications are Essays, Biographical and Critical (1856, reprinted with additions, 3 vols., 1874), British Novelists and their Styles (1859), Drummond of Hawthornden (1873), Chatterton (1873) and Edinburgh Sketches (1892). A bust of Masson was presented to the senate of the university of Edinburgh in 1897. Professor Masson had married Rosaline Orme. Their son, Orme Masson, became professor of chemistry in the University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne located in Melbourne, in Victoria, is the second oldest university in Australia (the University of Sydney is the oldest). The university was established by Hugh Childers in 1853 by an Act of the Victorian Parliament and classes, and their daughter Rosaline was known as a writer and novelist.
This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
Masson, David
Masson, David
