William Russell

William Russell (1741-1793). Drawing by Daniel Lizars (1760-1812). Courtesy National Galleries of Scotland.

William Russell (1741 - 25 December 1793) was a Scottish poet and historian.

Life

Overview

Russell was born in Selkirkshire, and apprenticed to a bookseller in Edinburgh. He was patronised by Lord Elibank, and went to London, where he followed literature as a profession. He wrote poems and fables, a History of America (1779), and a History of Modern Europe, which he left unfinished.

Youth and education

Russell was born at the farm of Windydoors, Selkirkshire, the son of Alexander Russell, farmer, and his wife Christian (Ballantyne), in 1741.

He attended school at Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, and then for 10 months in Edinburgh.

In 1756 he was apprenticed to an Edinburgh bookseller and printer.

Career

In 1763 when a journeyman he joined the Miscellaneous Society, composed of university and other students. His friends revised a translation by him of Crebillon's Rhadamisthe and Zenobia, which he unsuccessfully submitted to Garrick for representation.

He spent the autumn of 1765 with Lord Elibank at his seat in Midlothian, and presently forsook his trade, trusting to prosper under his lordship's patronage. After a short stay with his father, he proceeded to London in 1767 as a man of letters.

For a time he was corrector of the press for Strahan, and in 1769 became printing overseer to Messrs. Brown & Adlard, but soon after 1770 appears to have lived exclusively by literary work.

In 1780 he visited Jamaica to secure money as his brother's heir, and on his return prosecuted his literary calling in London with vigor and success.

In 1787 Russell married, and retired to Knottyholm, near Langholm, Dumfriesshire.

He died suddenly of paralysis on 25 Dec. 1793, and was buried in the churchyard of Westerkirk, Langholm. His widow, whose maiden name was Scott, and a daughter survived him.

Writing

Histories

Russell achieved his chief reputation as an historian. The earliest of his works to meet with any success was The History of America: From the first discovery by Columbus to the conclusion of the late war, 1779.

In the same year he issued, anonymously, the opening 2 volumes of his History of Modern Europe: In a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to his Son.’ 3 further volumes, with the author's name, appeared in 1784, and the whole work was published in 5 volumes in 1786. It deals with the rise of the modern kingdoms of Europe down to the peace of Westphalia (1763). Before his death Russell planned a continuation to 1783, and Dr. Charles Coote, Rev. William Jones, and others carried the compilation forward to various stages in the 19th century. An epitome appeared in 1857. Russell summarizes dexterously, knows and names his authorities, and occasionally advances an original opinion. It was superseded by the Modern Europe (1861-4) of Thomas Henry Dyer.

Russell's History of Ancient Europe; with A view of the revolutions in Asia and Africa (2 volumes. 1793), was a fragment, and had indifferent success. Thomas Cadell arranged to pay him £750 for a history of England from the accession of George III to the end of the American war, but this was not begun.

Other works

Russell's other works, all creditable to the taste and judgment of a self-educated man, were: 1. Collection of Modern Poems, including pieces by Gray and Shenstone, 1756. 2. Ode to Fortitude, 1769. 3. Sentimental Tales, 1770. 4. Fables Moral and Sentimental, 1772. 5. Essay on the Character, Manners, and Genius of Women, 1772, from the French of M. Thomas. 6. Julia: A poetical romance, 1774, an ambitious failure. 7. The Tragic Muse, 1783, a spirited tribute to Mrs. Siddons.

Recognition

In 1792 Russell received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the University of St. Andrews.

Publications

Poetry

• Ode to Fortitude. 1769.
• Fables Moral and Sentimental: In familiar verse. London: W. Flexney / Richardson & Urquhart, 1772.
• Julia: A poetical romance. 1774.
• The Tragic Muse: A poem; addressed to Mrs. Siddons. London: G. Kearsley, 1783.

Short fiction

• Sentimental Tales. (2 volumes), 1771.

Non-fiction

• The History of America: From its discovery by Columbus to the conclusion of the late war. (2 volumes), London: Fielding & Walker, 1778.

Volume I, Volume II

• The History of Modern Europe; with an account of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. (5 volumes)
  • Part I: From the fifth to the eighteenth century (anonymous). (2 volumes), London: G. Robinson, 1779; Dublin: S. Price / W. Whitestone / R. Cross / et al, 1779
  • Part II: From the Peace of Westphalia, 1648, to the Peace of Paris, 1763. (3 volumes), London: G. Robinson, 1784; Dublin: John Exshaw, 1784
  • complete. (5 volumes), London: G.G.J. & J. Robinson, 1786; London: Rivington, 1814; Philadelphia: H. Maxwell, for William Young Birch & Abraham Small, 1800-1801; London: Jones, 1827; New York: Harper, 1830; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, 1833; London: Longman Brown, 1842; New York: G. Routledge, 1857.
• Letters of William Russell: On the doctrine of constructive contempt. Dublin: 1786.
• The History of Ancient Europe; with a view of the revolutions in Asia and Africa. (2 volumes), London: G.G.J. & J. Robinson, 1793; Philadelphia: H. Maxwell, for William Young Birch & Abraham Small, 1801.

Translated

• M. Thomas, Essay on the Character, Manners, and Genius of Women. London: G. Robinson, 1772; Philadelphia: R. Aitken, 1774..

Edited

• Collection of Modern Poems. 1756.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.

See also

• List of British poets

References

•  Bayne, Thomas Wilson (1897) "Russell, William (1741-1793)" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 49 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 487-488 . Wikisource, Web, Oct. 21, 2016.

External links

Poems

• "An Ode to Fortitude" (excerpt)

About

• William Russell (1741-1793) at English Poetry, 1579-1830

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Russell, William (1741-1793)