Three Major Transition Historians

AGE OF TRANSITION HISTORIANS 

     David Hume (1711 - 1776) : 

Born and educated at Edinburgh, Hume first distinguished himself as a philosopher, publishing A treatise of Human Nature and Essays, Moral and Political. Later he turned historical works, writing The History of England, in six volumes. As a historian, Hume makes no pretence at profound research, so that his work has little permanent value as history. He possesses a clear and logical mind and a swift and brilliant narrative style. In the history of literature, his work is of importance as being first of the popular and literary histories of the country.

      William Robertson (1721-1793) :   

Robertson also was a Scot, being born in the country of Midlothian. After leaving university, he entered the Scottish church. He had an active and successful career as a historian, producing among other works The History of Scotland during the Reigns of Queen Mary and of James VI until his accession to the crown of England, The History of Charles V, and The History of America. 

 The Range of Robertson's subject-matter shows that he could have been no deep student of any particular epoch of history.


     James Boswell (1740-1795) : 

He was born in Edinburgh of a good Scottish family. He studied law, but his chief delight was the pursuit of great men, whose acquaintance he greedily cultivated.

He lives in literature by his supreme effort, the life of Samuel Johnson(1791), which ranks as one of the best biographies in existence. He had glaring faults but on the other hand, he had great shrewdness, a vigorous memory, a methodical and tireless industry which made him note down and preserve many details of priceless value and a natural genius for seizing upon points of supreme literary importance. All these gifts combine to make his book a masterpiece.  


               




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