The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-04
NI1ll(hsgEa9le
HAS WRITTEN HISTORY.
SHOEMAKER JOHN MACINTOSH is
FAMOUS BUT NOT RICH.

Cow He Labored While Producing the
Best History of Scotland That Has Yet
Appeared-Orer Twenty Years on the
Woodworking at His Trade Also.
Broad street. Aberdeen, has several
claims to distinction. Lord Byron when
boy had his home in Broad street, ana
there. too, for a number of years has llveo
John Macintosh, news agent and author
of the History of Civilization IN Scot
land, in four big volumes; Scotland IN
che "Storv of the Nations" series, The
Valley of the Deveron" 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 had hard struggle
many a time to earn a living in 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 com
plete histories of Scotland ever written. A
representative recently visited Aberdeen
and had the privilege of a chat with the
shoemaker historian.
Il found Mr.. Macintosh" he writes,
"busy at work in his little shop. Round
the shelves were ranged copies Of his IA
nous book, while the counter was covered
with the daily and weekly newspapers.
We were soon engaged in an interesting
conversation, and between the visits OF
customers be confded to me many partic-
ulars Of his life and his methods of work.
4 grr,f.r a
Aberdeenshire.
"John Macintosh is now 81, but he
bears his age we'll He is a native of the
parish of Botriphnie, in Banffshire. Scot
land has always been fortunate in its par
ISL schools, and what education Mackin-
tosh received was obtained at one of them.
But only a very rudimentary knowledge
OF the three RS must have sufficed in his
case, for at the age of 10 he had TO turn
10 farm work to obtain living. The con-
ditions of agricultural labor are still very
hard in these northern counties, with
their uncongenial climate; they were hard
er when Macintosh was boy, but they
aided in the development of those stern
and hardy qualities of character which be
has since displayed.
Anxious to better his condition, the fu-
ture historian, after a few years was APP
prenticed to a shoemaker, and, as lac grew
to manhood, worked in the various dis
tricts in the counties of Aberdeen, Banff
and Kincardine. He was always a great
reader, and perused whatever books he
could procure. He had an idea that he
might write 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.
ABOUT Mr.. MACINTOSH.
'Mr. Macintosh settled in Aberdeen in
1864 and opened a small news agents shop,
first in the Gallowgate and subsequently
In Broad street. He was now within reach
Of more books than ever before. The splen-
did library Of the university was easy of
access, and he spent many hours among
its treasures The idea of his life's work
gradually took definite form, and he was
finally able to carry it to a successful ter
mination 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 done while custom
ers were coming in and going out and con-
stantly interrupting me.
4 had intended he said, to write a
history of my country for a long time be-
fore / comm enced the task. / thought at
first | would begin with the Reformation
period, and thirty years ago l read def
nitely with that object in view. / began
collecting materials for my great work as
long ago as 1860. The form my book event
ually took was decided twenty-four or
twenty-five years ago. The history begins
with the earliest traces of man in Scotland,
and treats of the development and history
of civilization down to the present time
How long were you engaged on the
first volume? "A long time; in fact, about
five years in all. 1t was published in 1878.
The second volume was produced very
much more rapidly. 1t 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. 1t appeared at the end
# 1879.
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 so carefully,
and / was engaged on the volume alto
gether some three years. 1t contains an
outline of European philosophy, which
took more out of me than all else besides.
The fourth and last volume was in some
respects the easiest of all TO write. 1t deals
with the Eighteenth and Nineteenth cent
uries and contains a history Of Scottish
philosophy, a subject on which / was well
versed. In fact, for this portion OF my
book was specially complimented by Pro
fessor Neitch, of Glasgow uniyersity-no
mean authority, as you viii readily admit.
Your work altogether, then, must have
occupied you many years.
From the time / began TO write the
drst volume til the last one was published
was about nineteen years. Bat OF course
was engaged studying the general sub
iect much longer than that
During what portion Of the day was
most Of your work done| In the early
morning. always preferred the morning
sunlight to the midnight oil. was usually
up at 5 o'clock, anu at once commenced
work on my manuscript in the shop here,
For several hours at mat time OF day there
were few customers, and in the light morn
ings especially made good progress. From
March on TO October l got through a lot OF
work. l generally devoted five days a
week 10 literary labor-of course / had al
ways u attend TO my shop-and was able
to complete about eight or nine pages per
day..
You have written another history
Yes; am the author Of Scotland" in the