David Hume, Baron Hume of Ninewells
FRSE (1757–1838) was a British
advocate, judge and legal scholar, whose work on
Scots criminal law and
Scots private law has had a deep and continuing influence. He is referred to as Baron Hume to distinguish him from his uncle,
David Hume
David Hume (; born David Home; 7 May 1711 NS (26 April 1711 OS) – 25 August 1776) Cranston, Maurice, and Thomas Edmund Jessop. 2020 999br>David Hume" ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved 18 May 2020. was a Scottish Enlightenment phil ...
the philosopher.
[
Hume was educated at the universities of ]Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
. He became an advocate in 1779, and in 1786 was appointed Professor of Scottish Law at the University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
, a post he retained until 1822, when he took up office as a Baron of Exchequer. In 1785 he married Jane Alder. They had three sons and three daughters.
Hume’s writings on criminal law culminated in his ''Commentaries on the Law of Scotland, Respecting Trial for Crimes'' (1797), a work that has continued to be cited in court into the 21st century. During his lifetime he never published his lectures on Scots private law, and indeed expressed the wish that they should not be published posthumously. But manuscript copies were widely circulated and were influential, sometimes being cited in court. Eventually they were published, in six volumes, between 1939 and 1958. The result was a revival of their influence, not least in the field of property law.
Early life and education
David Hume was baptised 27 February 1757 at Chirnside, Berwickshire
Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of t ...
, a son of John Hume of Ninewells (1709–1786) and his wife, Agnes née Carre (1725–1785); he was a nephew of the philosopher David Hume
David Hume (; born David Home; 7 May 1711 NS (26 April 1711 OS) – 25 August 1776) Cranston, Maurice, and Thomas Edmund Jessop. 2020 999br>David Hume" ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved 18 May 2020. was a Scottish Enlightenment phil ...
.[John W. Cairns, "Hume, David (bap. 1757, d. 1838)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, May 2007, accessed 22 Oct 2011.]
From 1765 to 1767, he was enrolled as a pupil at Edinburgh high school and then studied at the University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
where, in 1774, he studied Roman Law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, including the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence, from the Twelve Tables (c. 449 BC), to the '' Corpus Juris Civilis'' (AD 529) ordered by Eastern Roman emperor Ju ...
. He matriculated as a law student at the University of Glasgow
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, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
in 1775 where he remained until 1777 and lodged with Professor John Millar, "then the most celebrated law teacher in the British Isles."[ In 1777 and 1778 he was a registered student of Scots law in Edinburgh.][
]
Advocate, sheriff-depute, professor, baron
Hume was admitted as to the Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary. The Faculty of Advocates is a constit ...
in 1779. In 1783 he was favoured with the appointment as part-time sheriff-depute of Berwickshire. In December 1786, he added to these the chair in Scots law in the University of Edinburgh.[
In 1793 he left the sheriffdom of Berwickshire for that of Linlithgowshire. In 1811 he was made a ]principal clerk of session
The Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary is the clerk of court responsible for the administration of the Supreme Courts of Scotland and their associated staff. The Keeper of the Signet grants a commission to the Principal Clerk of Sessio ...
and resigned his post as sheriff.[
In 1822 Hume became Baron David Hume on his appointment as Baron of the Exchequer. When he resigned from his professorial post, the university awarded him the degree of LLD.][
]
Family life
On 24 February 1785 he married Jane Alder and they had three sons and three daughters. She died in 1816 and he then married Jean Veitch Somner. On his death she remarried to Charles Maclaren.
On 27 July 1838 he died at his home, 37 Moray Place in Edinburgh and was buried in the Hume mausoleum at Calton cemetery, Edinburgh.[
His three sons, John, David and Joseph, are buried with him.][Inscription of David Hume's grave, Old Calton Cemetery]
References
* G. C. H. Paton, ‘Biography of Baron Hume’ in Vol. 6 of ''Baron David Hume's Lectures'', 1786–1822, ed by G. C. H. Paton.
* David M. Walker, ''The Scottish Jurists'' (1985) chapter 19.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hume, David
1757 births
1838 deaths
Members of the Faculty of Advocates
18th-century Scottish people
19th-century Scottish people
Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Academics of the University of Edinburgh
Scottish legal scholars
Barons of the Court of Exchequer (Scotland)
Scottish legal writers
People from Berwickshire
People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh
Principal Clerks of Session and Justiciary
Burials at Old Calton Burial Ground
Founder Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
18th-century British civil servants
19th-century British civil servants
18th-century Scottish writers
19th-century Scottish writers