Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet, (29 December 179223 May 1867) was an England-born Scottish

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

(attorney) and

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

. He held several prominent legal appointments. He was the younger son of the

Episcopalian Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the l ...

cleric and author Archibald Alison. His elder brother was the physician and social reformer

William Alison William Pulteney Alison FRSE FRCPE FSA (12 November 1790 – 22 September 1859) was a Scottish physician, social reformer and philanthropist. He was a distinguished professor of medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He served as president ...

Background

He was born at the parsonage at

Kenley, Shropshire Kenley is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Shropshire. It is located in remote countryside, atop a ridge at around above sea level. It is near the larger villages of Acton Burnell, about three miles to the north-west, a ...

, to the Rev. Archibald Alison and his wife Dorothea Gregory, daughter of John Gregory, and granddaughter of

James Forbes, 17th Lord Forbes James Ochoncar Forbes, 18th Lord Forbes (1765–1843), was a Scottish soldier and peer. He was the eldest son of James Forbes, 17th Baron Forbes, by Catherine, only daughter of Sir Robert Innes, baronet, of Orton. The lands of Forbes, Aberdeens ...

. In 1800 his parents moved the family back to Edinburgh, as his father thought that he could give his sons a better education and more independent careers in Scotland. After studying under a private tutor, and 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 ...

, he was, in 1814, admitted 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 ...

, at which he ultimately attained some distinction, becoming in 1834 Sheriff of Lanarkshire. In 1853, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law by the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

. Alison actively opposed the abolition of slavery in the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

. Following the United Kingdom's

Slavery Abolition Act 1833 The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. IV c. 73) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which provided for the gradual abolition of slavery in most parts of the British Empire. It was passed by Earl Grey's reforming administrat ...

and the

Slave Compensation Act 1837 The Slave Compensation Act 1837 (1 & 2 Vict. c. 3) was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, signed into law on 23 December 1837. It authorised the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt to compensate slave owners in the Brit ...

he benefited from a Government payout of more than £4,000 (equivalent to £346,000 in 2015).

Writings

When travelling in France in 1814 he conceived the idea of his expansive ''History of Europe from the commencement of the French revolution to the restoration of the Bourbons''. This multi-volume set is usually regarded as Alison's chief historical work and is considered to be the first scholarly English-language study of the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

. Published in ten volumes between 1833 and 1843, ''History of Europe'' was revised and reprinted many times throughout the century, including numerous foreign language editions. The work is one of vast industry, "contain nga wealth of information communicated in a vigorous though wordy style."

Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a centr ...

satirises the author in ''

Coningsby Coningsby is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district in Lincolnshire, England, it is situated on the A153 road, adjoining Tattershall on its western side, 13 miles (22 km) north west of Boston and 8 miles (13 km) so ...

'' as Mr. Wordy, who wrote a history to prove that Providence was on the side of the Tories. Such criticism notwithstanding, ''History of Europe'' proved to be a huge commercial success. By 1848 100,000 copies had been sold in the United States. It was translated into French, German, and even Arabic, in which language 2,000 copies were published "under the auspices of the Pasha of Egypt." Alison's book collection grew exponentially while he wrote the ''History'' as he acquired more and more source material over the years. By the 1840s, the author's collection had grown into an enormous library worth, in his estimation, £4,000 — a massive sum for that period. Alison evidently "feared that 'one of the race of critics' would discover an obscure book, pronounce it indispensable, and charge him with neglecting it." Alison also composed a comprehensive survey of the military campaigns of the

Duke of Marlborough General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 O.S.) was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reign ...

, as well as two standard works on the

criminal law of Scotland Scots criminal law relies far more heavily on common law than in England and Wales. Scottish criminal law includes offences against the person of murder, culpable homicide, rape and assault, offences against property such as theft and malicious ...

Rector

Title Page of Alison's History of Europe

Portrait of Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet

Bust of Sir Archibald Alison by Patric Park, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

The grave of Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet, Dean Cemetery

He was elected Lord Rector successively of

Marischal College Marischal College ( ) is a large granite building on Broad Street in the centre of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, and since 2011 has acted as the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council. However, the building was constructed for and is on long- ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, and of 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 , ...

. On 25 June 1852 he was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

, during

Lord Derby Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, (29 March 1799 – 23 October 1869, known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley) was a British statesman, three-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ...

's administration.

Family and death

In 1825, he married Elizabeth Glencairn Tytler (1799-1874), the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Duff Tytler (1760-1849); the children from the marriage were Archibald, Frederick and Ella Frances Catherine who married

James Charlemagne Dormer Lieutenant General The Honourable Sir James Charlemagne Dormer (26 January 1834 – 3 May 1893) was a British Army officer. Military career Dormer was the younger son of Joseph Thaddeus Dormer, 11th Baron Dormer. He became Chief of Staff of army ...

. Both sons became distinguished British military officers. The 1st Baronet's autobiography was published in 1883; his portrait was painted by

Robert Scott Lauder Robert Scott Lauder (25 June 1803 – 21 April 1869) was a Scottish artist who described himself as a "historical painter". He was one of the original members of the Royal Scottish Academy. Life and work Lauder was born at Silvermills, E ...

. Alison died at Possil House,

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 ...

, at the age of 74, and was interred in

Dean Cemetery The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...

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 ...

. He enjoyed great popularity in Glasgow. His funeral was attended by a crowd of from 100,000 to 150,000 people.Stephen (1885), p. 290. His grave lies amid the "Lord's Row" against the western wall, and is modest in comparison to most in this section. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his elder son,

Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet General Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet (21 January 1826 – 5 February 1907) was a Scottish soldier who achieved high office in the British Army in the 1880s. He was a descendant of the Alison family presented by Francis Galton in ''Heredit ...

Works

* ''History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution in 1789 to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815'' (1833–1843, 10 vol.) (The 10th edition of the work was reprinted in 1973 by AMS Press in hardcover; in 2010, the 1st edition was reprinted by Cambridge University Press as part of their Cambridge Library Collection series.) * ''Principles of the Criminal Law of Scotland'' (1832) * ''Practice of the Criminal Law of Scotland'' (1833) * ''Principles of Population, and Their Connection with Human Happiness'' (1840, 2 vol.) * ''England in 1815 and 1845'' (1845) * ''Free Trade and a Fettered Currency'' (1847) * ''The Military Life of John, Duke of Marlborough'' (1848) * ''Essays; Political, Historical and Miscellaneous'' (1850, 3 vol.) *
Vol. I
*
Vol. II
*
Vol. III
* ''History of Europe from the Fall of Napoleon in 1815 to the Accession of Louis Napoleon in 1852'' (1852–1859, 8 vol.) * ''The Currency Laws'' (1859) * ''Lives of Lord Castlereagh and Sir Charles Stewart'' (1861) * ''Some Account of My Life and Writings: An Autobiography'' (1883, 2 vol.) *
Vol. I
*
Vol. II
Articles
"The Increase of Crime,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LV (1844)
"Causes of Increase of Crime,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVI (1844)
"Lamartine,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVI (1844)
"Guizot,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVI (1844)
"Homer, Dante, and Michael Angelo,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVII (1845)
"British History during 18th Century,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVII (1845)
"Virgil, Tasso, and Raphael,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVII (1845)
"Hannibal,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVII (1845)
"Marlborough. No. I,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVIII (1845)
"Montesquieu,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVIII (1845)
"Humboldt,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVIII (1845)
"Marlborough. No. II,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LVIII (1845)
"Marlborough. No. III,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LIX (1846)
"The Roman Campagna,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LIX (1846)
"The Fall of Rome,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LIX (1846)
"Marlborough's Dispatches, 1708–1709"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LX (1846)
"The Romantic Drama,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LX (1846)
"Marlborough's Dispatches, 1710–1711"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LX (1846)
"Marlborough's Dispatches, 1711–1712"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LX (1846)
"The British Theatre, Part I,"
''The Dublin University Magazine,'' Vol. XLVIII (1846)
"The British Theatre, Part II,"
''The Dublin University Magazine,'' Vol. XLVIII (1846)
"Eugene, Marlborough, Frederick, Napoleon, and Wellington,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXI (1847)
"Lessons from the Famine,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXI (1847)
"M. De Tocqueville,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXI (1847)
"Thirty Years of Liberal Legislation,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIII (1848)
"Fall of the Throne of the Barricades,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIII (1848)
"The Revolution in Europe,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIII (1848)
"How to Disarm the Chartists,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIII (1848)
"The Navigation Laws,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIV (1848)
"Continental Revolutions—Irish Rebellion—English Distress,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIV (1848)
"The Year of Revolutions,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXV (1849)
"Free Trade at its Zenith,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVI (1849)
"The Year of Reaction,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVII (1850)
"The Ministerial Measures,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVII (1850)
"Free-trade Finance,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVII (1850)
"Chateaubriand's Memoirs,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVIII (1850)
"Ledru Rollin on England,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVIII (1850)
"Foreign Affairs,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVIII (1850)
"Ancient and Modern Eloquence,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXVIII (1850)
"The Currency Extension Act of Nature,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIX (1851)
"Biography,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIX (1851)
"The Dangers of the Country—External,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIX (1851)
"The Dangers of the Country—Our Internal Dangers,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIX (1851)
"The Dinner to Lord Stanley,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIX (1851)
"Æschylus, Shakespeare and Schiller,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXIX (1851)
"The Census and Free Trade,"
''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine,'' Vol. LXX (1851)

References

External links

* * *
Works by Archibald Alison
at

Hathi Trust HathiTrust Digital Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via Google Books and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locally ...

Works by Archibald Alison
at

JSTOR JSTOR (; short for ''Journal Storage'') is a digital library founded in 1995 in New York City. Originally containing digitized back issues of academic journals, it now encompasses books and other primary sources as well as current issues of j ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alison, Archibald 1792 births 1867 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom British economists Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Rectors of the University of Aberdeen Rectors of the University of Glasgow Burials at the Dean Cemetery Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Members of the Faculty of Advocates Scottish Episcopalians 19th-century Scottish historians Scottish sheriffs Scottish biographers 19th-century Scottish judges