| William
Aytoun |
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| Nationality - Scottish |
Profession - Author |
| Date of birth - 21 Jun 1813
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Date of death - 1865 |
| Place of birth
- Edinburgh : Midlothian |
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William Edmonstoune Aytoun was born in Edinburgh on June 21, 1813.
William was the only son of Roger Aytoun, a writer to the signet, and relative to Sir Robert Aytoun.
His early tastes in literature, political sympathies, ballad poetry, and his admiration for the House of Stuart was strongly encouraged by his mother.
At the age of eleven he was sent to the Edinburgh Academy, and from there he went on to study at the University of Edinburgh.
In 1833 he spent a short time in London studying law, but in September of that year he went to study the German language at Aschaffenburg, where he remained until April 1834.
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William then resumed his legal studies in his father's chambers, was admitted a writer to the signet in 1835, and five years later was called to the Scottish bar. By his own confession, though he followed the law, he never could overtake it.
His first publication, a volume entitled Poland, Homer, and other Poems, in which be gave expression to his eager interest in the state of Poland, appeared in 1832 but William's reputation as a poet chiefly rests on hisLays of the Scottish Cavaliers (1848).
In 1845 he was appointed professor of rhetoric and belles lettres at the University of Edinburgh. His lectures attracted large numbers of students, raising the attendance from 30 to 150. His services in support of the Tory party, especially during the Anti-Corn-Law struggle, received official recognition with his appointment (1852) as sheriff of Orkney and Zetland.
William Edmonstoune Aytoun died at Blackhills, near Elgin, on August 4, 1865. |
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