Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-04
Special Correspondence.

A BERDEEN, Jan 2b,--With the
N exception perhaps Of Bunyan's
n Pilgrims Progress" II Is prob.
able that no great book has ever
been written under conditions less Ia
vorable TO literary work and research
than the History OF Civilization IN
Scotland" by DR., James Maeklntosh
whose fellow citizens IN Aberdeen have
just presented him with n substantial
sum that he may live IN comparative
comfort In his old age. The little
known story OF this venerable his
torians career affords striking proof
OF the capacity OF geniuo to triumph
over seemingly lnsurmountable obsta'
Giles.
lie was born In 1888 In humble
matched cottage of bleak hillside
peasant farm IN Bannphre His father
had fought as Il common soldier under
Wellington throughout the PENN Bular
campaign and had retired on a pension
Even with this aid, 40 scanty were the
family means that az 10 years NJ age
the boy, who was destined 70 h,eome
the foremost authority on Hcotca HIS
tory, was set 10 work on the fam. ~
this occupation he continued untll no
was threading whatever books he could
get hold OF as time permitted, ana IN
the slackeAt months " the winter at
tending the village free school.
The Income from the little farm, even
with the most rigid economy proving
insufficient 70 support all the members
Of the household, young Maeklntosh
was next Appended TO a shoemaker
and at. this trade he worked for II
years IN various parts OF the northeast
OF Scotland, Meanwhile he eagerly
avalled himself OF every opportunity 70
crafty his thirst for knowledge. A.
he moved from place TO place he joined
local literary and debating societies and
mutual Improvement clubs with which
Scotland abounds and prepared ana
read various papers on a great variety
OF subjects. This work was excellent
preparation Of Its Kind and helped
shape the bent of his later and ripper
Htudles but M his mind unfolded ana
his craving for the treasures OF lltera-
ture increased, he began to feel keenly
the need OF better books than the u
brarles OF such rural societies az he
was connected with afforded. His own
earnings at the last did not suffice to
supply the lack Of them
II was not until he removed TO Aber-
deem. when 81 years old, that he found
sources OF learning opened up to him
| commensurate with his requirements,
and with indomitable pluck and perse-
| yerance he set 20 work TO make the
most of them. lie solved the problem
OF providing himself with the means of
| livelihood BY Joining the city police
force and for five years helped preserve
order I'm the ancient town, asslduousy
| haunting the libraries while off duty,
| Though much interested in the develop
ment of law the practical enforcement
| Of IL was not much 20 his taste ana IN
1853 he opened a small stationery ana
| book shop in Gallowgate one or the
poorest thoroughfares OF the city. In
| isS2 he removed to Broad street, under
the shadow OF Marschal college, and
next 10 the house where Byron once
| lived and II was here, during the m
| tervals of business, and amid ell the
| noise and hustle Of the street traffic,
that he wrote the greater part or his
| monumental work. lie was usually
| astir AT : O'Clock In the morning for he
preferred the morning sunlight 10 the
| midnight oil and In the early hours
| customers were few and allowed him
more time TO devote to his work free
| from interruption. lie was usuhlly
able to complete eight or nine pages a
| day
The idea OF the work had entered his
mind long before be settled down at
| Aberdeen. In the preface to one OF nus
| volumes no says:
| II worked for some time before ! be-
| came fully aware Of the original sources
| of Information; while, for long AFTER
| had become aware Of the most yalua-
bic and original materials Of history
| relating 10 my subject ! had often eN-
| treme difficulty in finding access 70
them for the purpose Of my researches,
| The libraries Of mutual Improvement
gocietles and mechanics institutions
were utterly insufficient But It was
| then chiefly that I prepared myself 10y
course OF philosophic study hmbrac-
| ing metaphysics, psychology logic, eth
| les. and politics, carefully reading hun
dreds of works on these matters, both
! ancient and modern But II was only
after / obtained the privilege Of com
| sultlng the library Of the University OF
| Aberdeen that ! was enabled to prose
cute my special historical inquiries with
ease and advantage
| His other works include n vivid
(