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John Veitch

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John Veitch (October 24, 1829 - September 3, 1894) was a Scottish poet, academic, and anthologist.

John Veitch2

John Veitch (1829-1894), 1880. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Life[]

Overview[]

Veitch, born at Peebles and educated at University and New College, Edinburgh, was assistant to Sir William Hamilton 1856-1860, professor of Logic at St. Andrews 1860-1864, and at Glasgow, 1864-1894. He was a voluminous and accomplished writer, his works including Lives of Dugald Stewart (1857) and Sir W. Hamilton (1869), Tweed, and other poems (1875), History and Poetry of the Scottish Border (1877), Feeling for Nature in Scottish Poetry (1887), Merlin, and other poems (1889), Border Essays (1896), and Dualism and Monism (1895).[1]

Youth and education[]

Veitch was born at Peebles, Tweeddale, the son of Sergeant James Veitch, a Peninsular veteran, by his wife, Nancy (Ritchie). Both parents, particularly the mother, displayed the high ideals of the value of education characteristic of some of the Scottish peasantry.[2]

Until 16 years of age Veitch was educated successively at Mr. Smith's "adventure" school and at the high school of Peebles. In 1843 Veitch, with his parents, joined the free church of Scotland.[2]

In 1845 he proceeded to the University of Edinburgh, where he immediately gained a bursary or entrance scholarship. After a session's attendance there, he entered the New College, just instituted for the benefit of free-church students. Here he met professor A. Campbell Fraser, who became his lifelong friend.[2]

The year 1848 found him back at the University, hearing the brilliant lectures of Aytoun, of "Christopher North" and conspicuously of Sir William Hamilton, by whom Veitch was profoundly influenced.[2]

Career[]

Originally destined for the ministry of the free church, Veitch turned his attention to theology in 1850, but was repelled by the dogmatic tendencies of the day. Until 1856 he supported himself by private tuition.[2]

In 1856 he was appointed assistant to Sir William Hamilton in the chair of logic and metaphysics in the University. Sir William's death took place in the same year, and was followed by the transference of Campbell Fraser from the professorship of philosophy in New College. Veitch continued in his position as assistant to Prof, Fraser until 1860. During the same period he aided his chief in the editorial work of the North British Review.[2]

In May 1860 Veitch was elected to the chair of logic, rhetoric, and metaphysics in the University of St. Andrews. His duties required him to teach English literature as well as philosophy, and he began those studies in the literature and antiquities of the Scottish border by which he will be best remembered. At this period his friends included James David Forbes, James Frederick Ferrier, John Tulloch, William Young Sellar, and John Campbell Shairp.[2]

In June 1862 he married Eliza Hill, the only daughter of George Wilson of Dalmarnock and Auchineden. The couple had no children.[2]

In the summer of 1864 he was elected to the professorship of logic and rhetoric in Glasgow University, which he occupied until his death. He spent 6 months of the year in Glasgow, and the remainder at Peebles, where he built a residence, and enjoyed unique opportunities of studying the scenery, history, literature, and lore of his native borderland. He took an active part in the leading border associations, in the politics of the county of Peebles, and in various benevolent institutions.[2]

As a thinker Veitch was at odds with the chief movements of his day, and by adopting an extreme, and often contemptuous, attitude of criticism, he baulked himself of formative influence with the thousands of students who came under his care. Those of them who knew him intimately were affected by his personal character, not by his prelections.[2]

He edited, in conjunction with Henry Longueville Mansel, Sir William Hamilton's Lectures on logic and metaphysics (4 vols. 1859–60); and translated, with an introduction, appendix, and notes, Descartes's Method, Meditations, and selections from his Principles of Philosophy, 1879.

He died at Peebles on 3 September 1894.[2]

Writing[]

Inborn inclination, extraordinary opportunity, and rare power of observation combined in the production of his work on The History and Poetry of the Scottish Border (1893, 2 vols.). The same qualities reveal themselves in the fine volumes on The Feeling for Nature in Scottish Poetry (1887, 2 vols.), as well as in his 3 small books of verse, The Tweed, and other poems (1875), Hillside Rhymes (1872), and Merlin, and other poems (1889). The poems are less successful than the prose works. Occasionally they reach a high level, but always within a limited range.[2]

Besides those already mentioned, Veitch's principal works were: ‘Memoir of Dugald Stewart,’ 1857. ‘Memoir of Sir William Hamilton,’ 1869. ‘Hamilton’ (Blackwood's Philosophical Classics Series), 1879. ‘Institutes of Logic,’ 1885. ‘Knowing and Being,’ 1889. ‘Dualism and Monism,’ 1895. ‘Border Essays,’ 1896.[2]

Recognition[]

In 1872 Veitch received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Edinburgh University.[2]

His pupils and friends have erected monuments to his memory within the main building of the university of Glasgow, in the town of Peebles, and on the top of Cademuir, 1 of his favourite hills.[2]

Publications[]

Poetry[]

Non-fiction[]

Translated[]

  • Rene Descartes, The Meditations; and selections from the Principles of Philosophy, of Descartes. Edinburgh: Sutherland & Knox / London: Simpkin, Marshall, 1853.
  • Rene Descartes, A Discourse on Method. London & Toronto: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1912.


Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[5]

See also[]

References[]

  •  Whetney, Robert Mark (1899) "Veitch, John" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 58 London: Smith, Elder, p. 199  . Wikisource, Web, Mar. 7, 2017.

Notes[]

  1. ↑ John William Cousin, "Veitch, John," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 391-392. Wikisource, Web, Mar. 15, 2018.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Wenley, 199.
  3. ↑ Hillside Rhymes, Internet Archive. Web, Mar. 7, 2017.
  4. ↑ The History and Poetry of the Scottish Border, Internet Archive. Web, Mar. 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ Search results = au:John Veitch, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Mar. 7, 2017.

External links[]

Poems
Audio / video
Books
About

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen & Sidney Lee). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Veitch, John

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