The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1892-12-31
HAS WRITTEN HISTORY.
bs4oEMAkeA JOHN MAckiNTost 70
FAMOUS BUT NOT RICH.

vvVeWNWSU WITH MNONSN O0V -
FAMOUS BUT NOT RICH.
Sew Ne Labsrsd wAiis PrsAsstng ths
Bsst nissery Of sestissA Thas Has Yet
Appssse1-Ovsr Twenty Team - he
Werk-wsrking - HE Trade Aiss.
Broad street. Aberdeen, has several
aeims TO distinction. Lord Byron whom
10y had his home IN Broad street, and
there, Ia, tor . number Of years has lived
John Macintosh, news agent and suthor
u the History Of Civilization in Scot
land. In four big volumes; scotland" 10
the STORY Of the Nations" series, THE
Valley OF the Deveron" and other works.
one Of the most notable personalities that
the north country has Of resent times pro-
duced. Msckintosh was boru In humble
circumstance; he II In humble circum-
st4nces still He has had hard struggle
many . time to earn . living In very
humble way. but, surmounting the din.
eulties Of an imperfect education, and dis
playing an industry which no circum-
| ttAnces could weary, has produced what
bas heeD described ~ one of the most com
plete histories OF Scotland ever written A
representative recently visited Aberdeen
and had the privilege of q chat with the
shoemaker historian.
Il found Mr.. Mackintosh," he writes,
busy 1t work In his little shop. Round
the shelves were ranged copies Of his ia
nous hook, 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 he confided TO me many partic-
ulars Of his life and bis methods Of work.
His dialect is . broad and pronounced
Aberdeenshire.
John Macintosh 10 now 81, but be
| bears his age well. He il a native Of the
parish Of Botriphnie, 10 Banfshire Scot
land has always been fortunate in its par
isb schools, and what education Mackin-
tosh received was obtained ut one of them.
But only = very rndimentary know ledge
| Of the three RS must have safiiced in his
ease, for at the age Of 10 he had TO turn
| TO farm work TO obtain living. The con-
ditions Of agricultural labor are still very
hard In these northern counties, with
| their uncoDgenial 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 be
has since displayed.
Anxious to better bis condition, the fu-
| ture historian, after a few years was ap-
preniioed to shoemaker, and, a. he grew
70 manhood. worked in the various dis
| tricts in the counties Of Aberdeen, BanfY
| and kincxrdine. He WAS always great
reader, and rerused whste,er hooks 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
A.. a.
Quirement Of knowledge
ABOUT MR. MAckiSTosH.
Mr. Macintosh settled in Aberdeen in
1864 and opened small news agents shop.
first in the Gallowgate and subseq uently
| 10 Broad street. lie 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 IL to successful ter.
minAtiou 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
siantly interrupting me
~ had intended he said, to write q
history Of my country for a long time he
fore ! commenced the task l thought a,
first ! would begin with the Reformation
periud, and thirty years ago read def.
nitely with that object in view. ! began
collecting materials for my great work al
long ago rs 1860 The form my book event
ually took was decided twenty -four OF
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 tbs
first voiumev A long time; In fact, abou,
five years in ali. 1t WAS published in 1873
The second volume was produced very
| much more rapidly. II treats mainly o!
the Sixteenth century, and much OF tn,
| Information IL contains was drawn from
| original records, Some eighteen months
were occupied in writing it and seeing i,
through the press, II appeared at the end
Of 1879.
HOW HE WORKER
| The Seventeenth century down to t.,
extinction Of the JAcobite rebellion is dealt
with in the third volume had not pre-
viously studied this period 10 carefully
Il MN WIS CusNkSSh ou Aue hpautilo oANo
| gether some three years. II contains a.
outline OF European philosophy, which
took more out q me than all else besides
The fourth and last volume WAS in som,
rcepects the easiest OF all TO write. Ii deal
with the Eighteenth and Nineteenth cent
uries and contains history of Scottish
philosophy, a subject on which l WAS wei
versed. In fact, for this portion of m,
book WAS specially complimented by Pro
fessor Neitch, OF Glasgow university-nt
mean authority, rs you will r,adily admit.
| Your work altogether. then, must hav,
occupied you many years"
"'From the time began to write th,
drst volume till the last one vas publishet
was about nineteen years. But Of cours
WAS engaged studying the general sub
tect much longer than that
During what portion Of the day va
most OF your work doney In the earl.
morning. ALWAYS preferred the mornins
sunlight to the midnight oil Twas usual.
up At 5 O'Clock, and at once commence,
work on my manuscript in the shop here
For several hours at that time Of day Their
were few customers, and in the light morn
Ing, especially made good progress. From
March on to October got through a lot O