Category: Biography

  • Edward Hall

    Edward Hall HALL, or HALLE, EDWARD (1499?-1547). —Chronicler, born in London, studied successively at Cambridge and Oxford. He was a lawyer, and sat in Parliament for Bridgnorth, and served on various Commissions. He wrote a history of The Union of the two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke, commonly called Hall’s Chronicle. It…

  • John Cleveland

    John Cleveland CLEVELAND, JOHN (1613-1658). —Poet, son of an usher in a charity school, was born at Loughborough, and educated at Cambridge, where he became coll. tutor and lecturer on rhetoric at St. John’s, and was much sought after. A staunch Royalist, he opposed the election of Oliver Cromwell as member for Camb. in the…

  • Thomas Chandler Haliburton

    Thomas Chandler Haliburton Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1796-1865). —Born at Windsor, Nova Scotia, was a lawyer, and rose to be Judge of the Supreme Court of the Colony. He was the author of The Clock-maker, or Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick of Slickville, and a continuation, The Attaché, or Sam Slick in England. In these…

  • Thomas Chandler Haliburton

    Thomas Chandler Haliburton Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1796-1865). —Born at Windsor, Nova Scotia, was a lawyer, and rose to be Judge of the Supreme Court of the Colony. He was the author of The Clock-maker, or Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick of Slickville, and a continuation, The Attaché, or Sam Slick in England. In these…

  • Dalrymple David Hailes

    Lord Dalrymple David Hailes Lord Dalrymple David Hailes (1726-1792). —Scottish judge and historical writer, was b. at Edin. Belonging to a family famous as lawyers, he was called to the Bar in 1748, and raised to the Bench in 1766. An excellent judge, he was also untiring in the pursuit of his favourite studies, and…

  • Thomas Osborne Davis

    Thomas Osborne Davis Thomas Osborne Davis (1814-1845). —Poet, b. at Mallow, ed. at Trinity Coll., Dublin, and called to the Irish Bar 1838. He was one of the founders of The Nationnewspaper, and of the Young Ireland party. He wrote some stirring patriotic ballads, originally contributed to The Nation, and afterwards republished as Spirit of…

  • George Canning

    George Canning George Canning (1770-1827). —Statesman, was b. in London, the s. of a lawyer. He lost his f. while still an infant, and was brought up by an uncle, who sent him to Eton and Oxf. In 1793 he entered Parliament as a supporter of Pitt, and soon became one of the most brilliant…

  • James Boswell

    James Boswell (1740-1795). —Biographer, s. of Alexander B. of Auchinleck, Ayrshire, one of the judges of the Supreme Courts of Scotland, was ed. at the High School and Univ. of Edin., and practised as an advocate. He travelled much on the Continent and visited Corsica, where he became acquainted with the patriot General Paoli. Fortunately…

  • James Boswell

    James Boswell (1740-1795). —Biographer, s. of Alexander B. of Auchinleck, Ayrshire, one of the judges of the Supreme Courts of Scotland, was ed. at the High School and Univ. of Edin., and practised as an advocate. He travelled much on the Continent and visited Corsica, where he became acquainted with the patriot General Paoli. Fortunately…

  • Sarah Margaret Fuller

    Sarah Margaret Fuller Sarah Margaret Fuller (1810-1850). —Was b. in Massachusetts, dau. of a lawyer, who encouraged her in over-working herself in the acquisition of knowledge with life-long evil results to her health. On his death she supported a large family of brothers and sisters by teaching. Her early studies had made her familiar with…

  • Edward Hyde Clarendon

    Edward Hyde Clarendon Edward Hyde Clarendon, EARL of (1608-1674). —Lawyer, statesman, and historian, s. of a country gentleman of good estate in Wiltshire, was b. at Dinton in that county, and ed. at Oxf. Destined originally for the Church, circumstances led to his being sent to London to study law, which he did under his…

  • Edward Hyde Clarendon

    Edward Hyde Clarendon Edward Hyde Clarendon, EARL of (1608-1674). —Lawyer, statesman, and historian, s. of a country gentleman of good estate in Wiltshire, was b. at Dinton in that county, and ed. at Oxf. Destined originally for the Church, circumstances led to his being sent to London to study law, which he did under his…

  • Gilbert Burnet

    Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715). —Theologian and historian, s. of a Royalist and Episcopalian lawyer, who became a judge, and of the sister of Johnston of Warristoun, a leader of the Covenanters, was b. in Edin., and ed. at Aberdeen and at Amsterdam, where he studied Hebrew under a Rabbi. Returning to Scotland, he was successively Episcopal…

  • Henry Cockburn

    Henry Cockburn Henry Cockburn (1779-1854). —Scottish judge and biographer, b. (probably) and ed. in Edin., became a distinguished member of the Scottish Bar, and ultimately a judge. He was also one of the leaders of the Whig party in Scotland in its days of darkness prior to the Reform Act of 1832. The life-long friend…

  • John Fortescue

    John Fortescue Sir John Fortescue (1394?-1476?). —Political writer, was descended from a Devonshire family. He was an eminent lawyer, and held the office of Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench (1442). During the Wars of the Roses he was a staunch Lancastrian. On the triumph of Edward IV. at Towton he was attainted, and…