Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character - Inscribed - Edward B. Ramsay 1871 - Edmonston and Douglas, Edinburgh - Twentieth Edition A fine inscribed edition, magnificently bound by Bayntun-Rivière of Bath.

First published in 1857, and extended throughout Ramsay’s life, it consists of his personal recollections, anecdotes and opinions. In addition to the entertaining preface, chapters cover
Scottish Religious Feelings, Old Scottish Conviviality, The Old Scottish Domestic Servant, Humour Proceeding from Scottish Expressions Including Scottish Proverbs, and Scottish Stories of Wit and Humour.

An important association copy, inscribed by Ramsay to Doctor Robert Carruthers of Inverness, with Ramsay’s hand written note going on to say that this ‘
is the 20th edition and I suppose to be my last - the concluding part from page 316, on the subject of a “closer union amongst Christians is entirely new in the Edition’. Dr. Carruthers is also thanked by Ramsay in the introduction (see page X). This work actually went through a further two editions before Ramsay’s death in 1872
  Edward Bannerman Ramsay (1793-1872), usually referred to simply as Dean Ramsay, was a clergyman of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and Dean of Edinburgh in that communion from 1841, has a place in literature through his Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character, which had gone through 22 editions at his death. It is a book full of the personality of the author, and preserves many traits and anecdotes.

Ramsay was born in Aberdeen but spent much of his early life in Yorkshire, attending the Cathedral Grammar School in Durham, 1806, graduated from St Johns College, Cambridge University, in 1816. He was then appointed Curate of Redden, Somerset. In 1824 he came to Edinburgh to serve as Curate to St George's on York Place before being appointed minister of St. John's Episcopal Church on Princes Street in 1830, where he then remained until death. In 1838 he formed a new branch of the church, thereafter known as the Scottish Episcopal Church. In 1841 he was elected Dean of the Diocese of Edinburgh. Over and above his religious activity he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1828, and became vice-president of the society in 1862.

Provenance: Robert Carruthers Esq. with inscription from the author. Later - David Fyfe Anderson (1904-88), Scottish surgeon, with his name dated 1950, to front free endpaper.

‘Robert Carruthers was born in Dumfries on 5 November 1799. His forbears had farmed in the parish of Mousewald. Carruthers received little education but at an early age he was apprenticed to a bookseller in Dumfries. As a young man Carruthers moved to Huntingdon in England where he met Dr Edward Maltby, the vicar of Buckden, (who went on to be Bishop of Chichester and Bishop of Durham) and with whose influence he undertook to manage the county school. Carruthers wrote a history of Huntingdon, birthplace of Oliver Cromwell. He also contributed articles to the
Dumfries Courier.

In 1828 when the proprietors of the
Inverness Courier, John Ferguson (Provost of Inverness 1836-39), James Sutor and Roderick Reach, were looking for a new editor, the head of the Dumfries Courier, Mr McDiarmid, recommended Carruthers. Carruthers came to Inverness in late 1828. He edited the Inverness Courier until 1831 when he was able to buy the paper and which he continued to edit until his death.

Carruthers delivered lectures to the Philosophical Institution of Edinburgh. He undertook several literary projects. He edited the works of Pope. He not only contributed to '
Chamber's Cyclopedia of English Literature' (begun by Dr Robert Chambers) but went on to edit the second and third editions. Carruthers also edited an edition of Boswell's 'Journal of a Tour of the Hebrides'. He wrote articles for 'Encyclopedia Britannica', contributed to several periodicals and provided Lord Macaulay with information for his 'History of England'.’ In 1871 Edinburgh University conferred on Robert Carruthers the honorary degree of LLD. He died on 26 May 1878. - Am Bailie, Highland History and Culture.

pp. [4] xlvii [1] 347 [3]
  Finely bound by Bayntun-Rivi   Condition: Fine   Ref: 107051   Price: HK$ 5,500