Peter Hume Brown
Encyclopedia
Peter Hume Brown was a Scottish historian and professor who played an important part in establishing Scottish history as a significant academic discipline. As well as teaching and writing, he spent 16 years as editor of the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland
, and served as Historiographer Royal
.
but soon he and his widowed mother moved to Prestonpans
, a few miles away, where he started at the Free Church
school in 1857. After his mother's death in 1866 he stayed at the school as a pupil teacher for another three years.
He taught in England and Wales before starting a degree in theology
at Edinburgh in 1872. He decided he had no vocation to be a minister
and left in 1874, only to start a different course the following year, graduating as MA
in 1878. In the meantime he had started on a lifelong "loyal ... friendship" with R. B. Haldane who shared some of his intellectual interests. He had also sold his theology books and bought Montaigne's Essays instead. For the rest of his life, Hume Brown's interest in French and German culture flourished alongside his dedication to the history of Scotland; the biographies he wrote of George Buchanan
and John Knox
gave full attention to the influence of continental Europe in their lives.
by Edinburgh, and later honorary degrees came from St Andrews
and the University of Geneva
.
Now Hume Brown's reputation as a historian was established, Cambridge University Press commissioned a three-volume History of Scotland. In the year the first volume was published, 1898, Hume Brown was asked to succeed David Masson
, his old teacher, as editor of the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland
, which not only brought him financial security, but untrammelled access to historically crucial 17th century documents.
for this purpose. The appointment highlights Hume Brown's major role in "establish[ing] the academic respectability of Scottish history". When this new departure for the university was announced, Hume Brown was described as "a man of new mark and likelihood among Scottish historical scholars" whose book Scotland before 1700 "presents a view of Scotland based entirely upon contemporary native sources". Before Hume Brown's inaugural address the principal expressed pleasure that "there was being introduced a fresh subject into the work of the University." The new professor himself said it could not be a "revolutionary step" for a university to include study of "the national history".
Hume Brown was concerned with Scotland's nationhood, and saw the Reformation
as a key period in the development of a national consciousness, when "Scotland was entering on a new phase of her national life". He lectured his students on the Making of Scotland, while conceding that no historian could ever give a fully adequate account of the "making" of a nation. He was interested in studying Scotland in a European context more than in the context of the British Empire
, and stressed that one country's history could only be understood by "reference to the histories of other countries". Though his writing style is considered restrained, he was more outgoing in conversation, entertaining friends and making an impression on the younger people around him.
At first his lectures only covered the years up to 1500, but when a second specialist on the history of Scotland, Henry Meikle, joined him in 1909, he added a course taking students up to 1800. He was invited to give prestigious lecture series at other universities, including St Andrews
and Oxford
(Ford Lectures
for 1913/14), and in 1908 he was made Historiographer Royal.
were a lifelong support and regularly invited Hume Brown to their estate at Cloan in Perthshire
, a change from the suburban home where he lived alone except for his dog. Between 1898 and 1912 he made annual trips with Haldane to Weimar
where Goethe had lived, the two sharing an enthusiasm for Goethe's work and German literature in general. In 1913 Hume Brown brought out the first half of a biography of Goethe; the other volume would appear posthumously, nearly complete in 1918, but edited by Richard and Elizabeth Haldane who also published a collection of his lectures.
Hume Brown also admired the French literary critic Sainte-Beuve, and believed the study of history should not be separated from literature. Other writers whose work particularly influenced his thought were Montaigne and Renan
.
He died suddenly on 1 December 1918, leaving behind him a substantial body of published work, and a new sense of Scottish history as a major academic subject. His will gave Edinburgh University not only a death mask
of Goethe he had received from the Masson family
, but money to fund a prize connected with his own field. The Hume Brown prize is now awarded biennially to a previously unpublished writer who makes an "original contribution to Scottish History".
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
, and served as Historiographer Royal
Historiographer Royal
The Historiographer Royal is a member of the Royal household in Scotland. The office was created in 1681, and was in abeyance from 1709 until 1763 when it was revived for Principal William Robertson of Edinburgh University. The post, which now has no formal responsibilities or salary, is held by...
.
Early life
Hume Brown was born in TranentTranent
Tranent is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to the A1 road and approximately east of Edinburgh. It is one of the oldest towns in East Lothian, and built on a gentle slope, about 300 feet above sea level.Population of the town is 9,917....
but soon he and his widowed mother moved to Prestonpans
Prestonpans
Prestonpans is a small town to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the unitary council area of East Lothian. It has a population of 7,153 . It is the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans, and has a history dating back to the 11th century...
, a few miles away, where he started at the Free Church
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
school in 1857. After his mother's death in 1866 he stayed at the school as a pupil teacher for another three years.
He taught in England and Wales before starting a degree in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Edinburgh in 1872. He decided he had no vocation to be a minister
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and left in 1874, only to start a different course the following year, graduating as MA
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in 1878. In the meantime he had started on a lifelong "loyal ... friendship" with R. B. Haldane who shared some of his intellectual interests. He had also sold his theology books and bought Montaigne's Essays instead. For the rest of his life, Hume Brown's interest in French and German culture flourished alongside his dedication to the history of Scotland; the biographies he wrote of George Buchanan
George Buchanan (humanist)
George Buchanan was a Scottish historian and humanist scholar. He was part of the Monarchomach movement.-Early life:...
and John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
gave full attention to the influence of continental Europe in their lives.
Independent scholar
After graduation he started a private school, and married the following year, 1879. His wife died only three years later, and Hume Brown gave up the school, earning a small living through private teaching and writing for Chambers' Encyclopaedia, while tolerating periods of material "privation" to concentrate on his own independent studies. He had little hope of a university post in history, which at that time was not a well-supported subject at Edinburgh or other Scottish universities. He pursued his research and published his first book, George Buchanan, Humanist and Reformer, in 1890. Three other books followed before his biography of Knox in 1895. In 1896 he was made an honorary LLDLegum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
by Edinburgh, and later honorary degrees came from St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
.
Now Hume Brown's reputation as a historian was established, Cambridge University Press commissioned a three-volume History of Scotland. In the year the first volume was published, 1898, Hume Brown was asked to succeed David Masson
David Masson
David Masson , was a Scottish writer.He was born in Aberdeen, and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen. Intending to enter the Church, he proceeded to Edinburgh University, where he studied theology under Dr Thomas Chalmers, with whom he remained...
, his old teacher, as editor of the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
, which not only brought him financial security, but untrammelled access to historically crucial 17th century documents.
Professor of Scottish history
In 1901 Edinburgh University made him its first professor of Scottish history, after receiving a bequestBequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
for this purpose. The appointment highlights Hume Brown's major role in "establish[ing] the academic respectability of Scottish history". When this new departure for the university was announced, Hume Brown was described as "a man of new mark and likelihood among Scottish historical scholars" whose book Scotland before 1700 "presents a view of Scotland based entirely upon contemporary native sources". Before Hume Brown's inaugural address the principal expressed pleasure that "there was being introduced a fresh subject into the work of the University." The new professor himself said it could not be a "revolutionary step" for a university to include study of "the national history".
Hume Brown was concerned with Scotland's nationhood, and saw the Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
as a key period in the development of a national consciousness, when "Scotland was entering on a new phase of her national life". He lectured his students on the Making of Scotland, while conceding that no historian could ever give a fully adequate account of the "making" of a nation. He was interested in studying Scotland in a European context more than in the context of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, and stressed that one country's history could only be understood by "reference to the histories of other countries". Though his writing style is considered restrained, he was more outgoing in conversation, entertaining friends and making an impression on the younger people around him.
At first his lectures only covered the years up to 1500, but when a second specialist on the history of Scotland, Henry Meikle, joined him in 1909, he added a course taking students up to 1800. He was invited to give prestigious lecture series at other universities, including St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
(Ford Lectures
Ford Lectures
The Ford Lectures are a prestigious series of public lectures given annually in English or British History by a distinguished historian. Known commonly as "The Ford Lectures," they are properly titled "Ford's Lectures in British History" and they are given by a scholar elected to be "Ford's...
for 1913/14), and in 1908 he was made Historiographer Royal.
The Haldanes and Goethe
Lord Haldane, his mother and his sister ElizabethElizabeth Haldane
Elizabeth Sanderson Haldane was an eminent public figure, author, biographer, philosopher, suffragist, nursing administrator, and social welfare worker. She was the sister of Richard Burdon Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane and John Scott Haldane, and became the first female Justice of the Peace in...
were a lifelong support and regularly invited Hume Brown to their estate at Cloan in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, a change from the suburban home where he lived alone except for his dog. Between 1898 and 1912 he made annual trips with Haldane to Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
where Goethe had lived, the two sharing an enthusiasm for Goethe's work and German literature in general. In 1913 Hume Brown brought out the first half of a biography of Goethe; the other volume would appear posthumously, nearly complete in 1918, but edited by Richard and Elizabeth Haldane who also published a collection of his lectures.
Hume Brown also admired the French literary critic Sainte-Beuve, and believed the study of history should not be separated from literature. Other writers whose work particularly influenced his thought were Montaigne and Renan
Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
.
He died suddenly on 1 December 1918, leaving behind him a substantial body of published work, and a new sense of Scottish history as a major academic subject. His will gave Edinburgh University not only a death mask
Death mask
In Western cultures a death mask is a wax or plaster cast made of a person’s face following death. Death masks may be mementos of the dead, or be used for creation of portraits...
of Goethe he had received from the Masson family
David Masson
David Masson , was a Scottish writer.He was born in Aberdeen, and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen. Intending to enter the Church, he proceeded to Edinburgh University, where he studied theology under Dr Thomas Chalmers, with whom he remained...
, but money to fund a prize connected with his own field. The Hume Brown prize is now awarded biennially to a previously unpublished writer who makes an "original contribution to Scottish History".
Selected works
- George Buchanan, humanist and reformer, a biography 1506-1582 (David Douglas 1890)
- Early Travellers in Scotland, edited by P. Hume Brown (David Douglas 1891)
- Vernacular writings of George Buchanan, edited by P. Hume Brown (Edinburgh 1892)
- Scotland before 1700, from contemporary documents (David Douglas 1893)
- John Knox: a biography (Adam and Charles Black 1895)
- History of Scotland, Vols 1-3 (Cambridge 1899-1909)
- A history of Scotland for schools (Edinburgh 1907)
- The Youth of Goethe (John Murray 1913)
- The legislative union of England and Scotland (Clarendon Press, 1914)
- Life of Goethe, ed. E. and R. Haldane (London 1920)
Sources
- Robertson, John Peter Hume Brown in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004)
- Davis, H.W.C. Peter Hume Brown in the Dictionary of National Biography (1927)
- The ScotsmanThe ScotsmanThe Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
archives:- Sir William Fraser Professorship of Ancient History and Palaeography, 20 July 1901
- The Edinburgh University Chair of Ancient History, 23 October 1901
- Professor Hume Brown on "The Making of Scotland", 15 October 1902
- The Late Professor Hume Brown, 2 December 1918
- Professor Hume Brown's Will, 10 December 1918