, 1891-02-12
HAS WRITTEN HISTORY.
SHOEMAKER JOHN MACINTOSH IS
FAMOUS BUT NOT RICH.

How He Laborcd While Producing the
best History of Scotland THAI Has Yet
APpeared-Over Twenty Years on the
Woodworking at His Trade Also.
Broad street. Aberdeen, has several
claims TO distinction. Lord Byron when a
boy had his home in Broad street, and
there, too, for a number Of years has lived
Joh Macintosh, news agent and author
Of the History Of Civilization in Scot
land, in four big volumes, Scotland" in
the story OF the Nations series, The
Valley OF the Dcyerpn'' and other works
one OF the most notable personalities that
the north country has Of recent times pro
duced, Macintosh was born in humble
circumstances; he is in humble circum-
stances still. He has bad a hard struggle
many a time to earn a living in a very
humble way, but, surrounding the diff
culties Of an imperfect education, and dis.
playing an industry which no circum-
stances could weary, has produced what
has been described as one OF the most som
plete histories OF Scotland ever written. A
representative recently visited Aberdeen
and had the privilege Of a chat with the
shoemaker historian.
Il ound Mr.. Macintosh" he writes,
busy at work IN his little shop Hound-
the shelves were ranged copies Of his IA,
nous book. while the counter was covered
with the daily and weekly newspaper
We were soon engaged iu an Interesting
conversation. and between the visits "
customers he conhdcd TO me many partic-
ulars Of his life and his methods Of work
His dialect is a hrold aud pronounced
A~beriecnshire
John MackIntosh is now 81. but he
bears his age well He is a native Of the
parish Of Botriphnie, in Banffshirr. Scot
land has always been fortunate in its par
ish schools, and what education Mackin-
tosh received was obtained at one OF them.
But only a very r~udimeutary knowledge
Of the three RS must have suficed in his
case, for at the age OF 10 he had to turn
tn farm work 70 obtain a living. The con
dltions Of agricultural labor are still very
hard in these northern counties, with
their u-ucongcuial climate. they were hard
er when Macintosh was a boy. but they
aided in the Development OF those stern
and hardy qualities Of character which he
has since displayed
Anxious TO better his condition, the f-
ture historian, after "a few years was ap
prenticed to a shoemaker, aud. Hs he grew
to manhood, worked in the various dis
triets Ia the counties OF Aberdeen, Banu
and kincardine, lie was always Il great
reader, and perused whatever books he
could procure. He had an idea that he
might write a history OF his country some
day. and AS opportunities presented them
selves he extended the range OF his study
and WAS constant in his efforts for the &c
quirement Of knowledge.
o MR. MACINTOSH
Mr.. Mackintosh settled in Aberdeen in
1864 and opened a smHll news agents shop,
first in the Gallowgate and subsequently
in Broad street, He WAS now within reach
Of more books than ever before. The splcn.
did library Of the university was easy Of
access, and he spent many hour among
It's treasures. The idea OF his lifc's work
gradually took definite form, and he VIA
finally able to carry It To a successful ter
minaJion under conditions which would
have daunted most men, but which only
made him strive and work the harder. on
my shop counter he recently wrote,
amid the noise and hustle OF these stirring
streets, the four volumes OF my history
were written and the proof sheets corrected
and revised, all being o. while custom
ers were coming In and going out and con.
stantly in~terrupting me.
Z" had intended he said, TO write a
history OF my country for "A long time be-
fore ! commenced the task. | thought at
first | would begin with the Reformation
period, and thirty years ago | read def
nitely with that object in view. | began
collecting materials for my great work as
long ago as 1880 Tn form my book event.
ually took was decided t~,yenty-four or
twenty-five years ago. The history begins
with the earliest traces OF man in Scotland.
and treats Of the development n history
Of civilization down to the present time
first N5f8uisps %ssFFs5 uEEo Sin engaged on the
five years in all IL was published In 1873.
The second volume was produced very
much more rapidly. It treats mainly OF
The Sixteenth century, and much OF the
Information it contains was drawn from
original records. Some eighteen months
were occupied in writing It and seeing It
through the press. It appeared at the end
Of 1873.
HOW HE WORKED.
The Seventeenth century down to the
extinction Of the Jacobite rebellion is dealt
with in the third volume. | had not pre-
viously studied this period 50 carefully,
and / wml engaged on the volume alto.
gether some three years. IL contains an
outline OF European philosophy, which
took more out Of me thun all else besides.
The fourth and last volume was in some
respects the easiest Of all to write. II deals
with the Eighteenth and Nineteenth cent
uries and contains u history Of Scottish
philosophy, a subject on which | was well
versed. In fact, for this portion OF my
book was specially cnmplimcutod by Pro
lessor Nei'ch, Of Glasgow university-no
mean authority, as you will readily admit
Your work altogether, then. must have
occupied you many years.
From the time l began TO write the
first volume till the last one was published
was about nineteen years. But OF course
| was engaged studying the general sub
lect much longer than that
During what portion OF the day was
most OF your work donei' In the early
morning. always preferred the morning
sunlight to the midnight oil. Twas usually
up at . o'clock. aud at once commenced
work on my manuscript in the shop here.
For several hours ut that time Of day there
were few customers, and in the light morn.
inRs especially Imnde good progress. From
March on 10 October l got through a lot Of
work. | generally devoted i've days u
week to literary labOr-of course l had al
ways TO attend TO my shop-aud | was able
to complete about eight or niue pages per
day
You have written another bistoryy'
Yes; ! am the author Of Scotland" In the
STORY OF the Nations" series. but TINT
was OF course a very much less lAborious
task than my other book. Il occupied tue
for o little over twelve months. But ! was
well up on the subject, and no special re-
search was necessary. 1t has. 1 am pleased
to ssy, been ON the whole very well re,
oeiVel'"-Pall Mall Gazette.
Chill. the Argentine Republic aud Uru-
nay. OF the countries Of the American
ointment, gather their wheat in January,
aal Australia and The Hdj lceut Stands are
engaged in it about the same time.