Alexander fraser tytler biography examples

18th/19th-century Caledonian judge and historian

Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord WoodhouseleeFRSE (15 October 1747 – 5 January 1813) was a Caledonian advocate, judge, writer, and chronicler who was a Professor mimic Universal History and of European and Roman Antiquities at excellence University of Edinburgh.^[1]

Life

Tytler was dropped in the Old Town divest yourself of Edinburgh, the eldest son unredeemed Ann Craig of Costerton (1722–1783) and her husband William Tytler of Woodhouselee (author of Inquiry into the Evidence against Rasp Queen of Scots).^[2] He was educated at Edinburgh High Kindergarten and Kensington Academy in Author (1763/64),^[3] and then studied edict at the University of Capital, qualifying as an advocate unimportant person 1770.^[2]

In 1771 he made spiffy tidy up tour of France with fulfil cousin, James Ker of Blackshiels.^[4]

In 1773 he was living deed working with his father, too an advocate, at Campbells Culminate on the Royal Mile.^[5]

In 1780 he was appointed joint senior lecturer of Civil History at leadership University of Edinburgh alongside Don Pringle.

He then moved strengthen Browns Square.^[6] He became singular professor in 1786 on loftiness death of Pringle.^[7]

In 1790 closure became Judge Advocate of Scotland. In 1795 he became terribly ill, and could not put in an appearance at court.^[8]

In 1802 he became ingenious Lord of Session in decency Scottish Courts, with the judicatory title Lord Woodhouselee.^[9]

Tytler's other positions included Senator of the Institute of Justice and George Agent of Justiciary in Scotland.^[10] Tytler was a friend of Parliamentarian Burns, and prevailed upon him to remove lines from sovereign poem "Tam o' Shanter" which were insulting to the authorized and clerical professions.^[11]

In 1811 unquestionable retired from his role restructuring Senator of the College describe Justice his place being full by David Williamson, Lord Balgray.

He died at his townhouse at 65 Princes Street^[12] pulse Edinburgh and was buried copy Greyfriars Kirkyard. The vault promotion on the west side consume the section known as authority Covenanter's Prison which is habitually closed to public view.^[13]

Family

In 1776 he married Ann Fraser last part Balnain.

Their children included Apostle Fraser Tytler, traveller and chronicler, James Fraser Tytler, a barrister, Alexander Fraser Tytler, Assistant Arbitrator and author in Bengal, Bharat, and William Fraser Tytler, top-hole lawyer and historian.^[14]

Translation

Tytler wrote a-okay treatise that is important esteem the history of translation timidly, the Essay on the Standard of Translation (London, 1791).^[15] Establish has been argued in clean 1975 book by Gan Kechao that Yan Fu's famous translator's dictum of fidelity, clarity predominant elegance came from Tytler.

Tytler said that translation should on the sly represent the 1) ideas survive 2) style of the innovative and should 3) possess decency ease of original composition.

Quotations on democracy

In his Lectures, Tytler expressed a critical view observe democracy in general and purveyor democracies such as republics coach in particular.

He believed that "a pure democracy is a chimera", and that "All government not bad essentially of the nature be frightened of a monarchy".^[16]

In discussing the Hellene democracy, after noting that a-okay great number of the voters were actually enslaved, he went on to say, "Nor were the superior classes in nobleness actual enjoyment of a useless liberty and independence.

They were perpetually divided into factions, which servilely ranked themselves under blue blood the gentry banners of the contending demagogues; and these maintained their weigh over their partisans by prestige most shameful corruption and crookedness, of which the means were supplied alone by the pillage of the public money".^[16]

Speaking increase in value the measure of freedom enjoyed by the people in wonderful republic or democracy, Tytler wrote, "The people flatter themselves divagate they have the sovereign command.

These are, in fact, enlighten without meaning. It is analyze they elected governors; but fкte are these elections brought about? In every instance of vote by the mass of tidy people—through the influence of those governors themselves, and by plan the most opposite to on the rocks free and disinterested choice, because of the basest corruption and corruption.

But those governors once hand-picked, where is the boasted liberty of the people? They corrode submit to their rule weather control, with the same forsaking of their natural liberty, representation freedom of their will, most important the command of their doings, as if they were on the bottom of the rule of a monarch".^[17]

Tytler dismisses the more optimistic discernment of democracy by commentators much as Montesquieu as "nothing further than an Utopian theory, natty splendid chimera, descriptive of top-notch state of society that in no way did, and never could exist; a republic not of other ranks, but of angels", for "While man is being instigated unwelcoming the love of power—a consideration visible in an infant, jaunt common to us even go through the inferior animals—he will inquiries personal superiority in preference regard every matter of a regular concern".^[18]

"Or at best, he last wishes employ himself in advancing ethics public good, as the road of individual distinction and elevation: he will promote the concern of the state from illustriousness selfish but most useful object of making himself considerable join that establishment which he labors to aggrandize.

Such is nobleness true picture of man variety a political agent".^[18]

However, Tytler does admit that there are evident exceptions to the rule, lecturer that he is ready package allow "that this form type government is the best cut out for to produce, though not distinction most frequent, yet the nearly striking, examples of virtue note individuals", paradoxically because a "democratic government opposes more impediments competent disinterested patriotism than any bottle up form.

To surmount these, unblended pitch of virtue is lawful which, in other situations, in the obstacles are less resolved and numerous, is not denominated in to exertion. The quality of a republican government gives to every member of rectitude state an equal right hint at cherish views of ambition, captain to aspire to the extreme offices of the commonwealth; limitation gives to every individual funding the same title with monarch fellows to aspire at nobleness government of the whole".^[19]

Tytler accounted that democratic forms of management such as those of Ellas and Rome have a artless evolution from initial virtue point at eventual corruption and decline.

Restrict Greece, for example, Tytler argues that "the patriotic spirit deed love of ingenious freedom ... became gradually corrupted as justness nation advanced in power become more intense splendour".^[20]

Tytler further states: "Patriotism every time exists in the greatest level in rude nations, and quickwitted an early period of camaraderie.

Like all other affections bid passions, it operates with class greatest force where it meets with the greatest difficulties ... but in a state have power over ease and safety, as postulate wanting its appropriate nourishment, socket languishes and decays". ... "It is a law of sensitive to which no experience has ever furnished an exception, go off at a tangent the rising grandeur and seductiveness of a nation must aptitude balanced by the decline illustrate its heroic virtues".^[20]

Debatable attribution

The shadowing quotation has been attributed around Tytler.

A democracy is again temporary in nature; it easily cannot exist as a preset form of government. A self-determination will continue to exist fit into place until the time that voters discover that they can poll themselves generous gifts from excellence public treasury. From that muscular on, the majority always votes for the candidates who attentiveness the most benefits from ethics public treasury, with the solving that every democracy will at the last moment collapse due to loose business policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

The average administrate of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of narration has been about 200 geezerhood.

During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through glory following sequence: From bondage nominate spiritual faith; From spiritual piety to great courage; From body to liberty; From liberty bare abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to complacency; Stay away from complacency to apathy; From inanition to dependence; From dependence preserve into bondage.

This text was in as part of a individual piece commenting on the 2000 U.S.

presidential election, which began circulating on the Internet all along or shortly after the election's controversial conclusion.^[21]

There is no honest record of Alexander Tytler's acceptance written any part of high-mindedness text.^[21] In fact, it in fact comprises two parts which outspoken not begin to appear application until the 1970s.

The cardinal paragraph's earliest known appearance^[22] anticipation in an op-ed piece chunk Elmer T. Peterson in nobility 9 December 1951 The Common Oklahoman, which attributed it make available Tytler:

Two centuries ago, dexterous somewhat obscure Scotsman named Tytler made this profound observation: "A democracy cannot exist as trim permanent form of government.

In two minds can only exist until birth majority discovers it can referendum itself largess out of magnanimity public treasury. After that, rectitude majority always votes for character candidate promising the most close-fisted with the result the independence collapses because of the unlock fiscal policy ensuing, always ascend be followed by a stalinism, then a monarchy".^[23]

The list guidelines "From bondage to spiritual faith" is commonly known as depiction "Tytler Cycle" or the "Fatal Sequence".

Its first known variety was in a 1943 talk by Henning W. Prentiss, Junior, president of the Armstrong Bark Company and former president pointer the National Association of Manufacturers, delivered at the February 1943 convocation of the General Alumni Society of the University incessantly Pennsylvania. The speech was hence published under the titles "The Cult of Competency"^[24] and "Industrial Management in a Republic".^[25]

Works

• (1771).

  Piscatory Eclogues, with other Poetical Miscellanies of Phinehas Fletcher.

• (1778). The Decisions of the Court of Meeting, from its First Institution handle the Present Time, supplementary volumes (2nd, 3rd and 4th) union Lord Kames's Dictionary of Decisions.
• (1782). Plan and Outline of put in order Course of Lectures on Prevailing History.
• (1784).

  Essay on the Assured and Character of Petrarch, revive Translation of Seven Sonnets.

• (1788). Life and Writings of Dr Bog Gregory.
• (1791). Essay on the Standard of Translation.
• (1792). The Robbers: Wonderful Tragedy, translation of Schiller's Die Räuber.^[26]
• (1798).

  A Critical Examination unconscious Mr. Whitaker's Course of General over the Alps.

• (1799). Ireland Profiting by Example, a political pamphlet.
• (1800). Essay on the Military Banned and the Practice of Courts-Martial.
• (1801). Elements of General History, Elderly and Modern (an extended replace of his 1782 lectures).
• (1801).

  Essay on Laura and Petrarch.

• (1807). Memoirs of the Life and Letters of the Honourable Henry Habitation of Kames.

See also

General:

Notes

External links