Patrick Cumming (or Patrick Cumin)

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

(1741 – 1820) was a professor of Oriental Languages at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...

and joint founder of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. He was, at that time, the longest served of any known Scottish professor. His father has the same name.

Life

He was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

on 11 October 1741 the son of Rev Prof

Patrick Cumin Patrick Cumin or Cuming (1695–1776) was a senior clergyman in the Church of Scotland. He was three times Moderator of the General Assembly. Life He was born in 1695 the eldest son of Robert Cumin of Relugas near Forres, Morayshire. He stu ...

, Professor of Church History 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 ...

and three times

Moderator of the Church of Scotland The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every year. After chairing the Asse ...

. He went to the

and graduated with an MA in 1760. In 1761 he became a professor at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and held this title until death on 27 October 1820. This period of 59 years as a professor is believed to be the longest such tenure in Scottish history. In 1783 he was a co-founder of the

. He died on 27 October 1820 in

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 ...

References

1741 births 1820 deaths Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Glasgow {{Scotland-academic-stub