William Duff (writer)
| William Duff | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1732 |
| Died | 1815 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Scottish Presbyterian Minister |
| Known for | Theory of genius |
William Duff (1732 - 1815) was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and one of the first writers to analyse the nature of genius as a property of human psychology.[1] His Essay on Original Genius is frequently cited as a landmark in the Western analysis of genius and creativity.
Ministry and family
Duff was a Scottish minister and M.A., was licensed by the presbytery 25 June 1755, called 18 September, and ordained 8 October, when he was appointed to the parish of Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire. Thence he was transferred to Peterculter in the same county, 24 October 1766, being admitted 4 March 1767. He was nominated minister of Foveran, also in Aberdeenshire, in February 1774, and took up his home a year later. There he got a new church built in 1794, and died father of the synod, 23 February 1815, in the eighty-third year of his age, and sixtieth of his ministry.[2]
Theory of genius
Duff was primarily interested in establishing the cognitive traits that explained variance in people's accomplishments.[1] He postulated three aspects: imagination, judgement and taste.[3] Notably, he emphasised imagination as making the most important contribution to genius.[1][4]
Published works
Duff is author of:[5]
- An Essay on Original Genius and its Various Modes of Exertion in Philosophy and the Fine Arts, particularly in Poetry (anon.), octavo, London, 1767, a work which exhibits considerable acquaintance with classical authors. A sequel is
- Critical Observations on the Writings of the most celebrated Original Geniuses in Poetry, octavo, London, 1770.
- The History of Rhedi, the Hermit of Mount Ararat. An Oriental Tale (anon.), duodecimo, London, 1773.
- Sermons on Several Occasions', 2 volumes duodecimo, Aberdeen, 1786.
- Letters on the Intellectual and Moral Character of Women, octavo, Aberdeen, 1807.
- The Last Address of a Clergyman in the Decline of Life, octavo, Aberdeen, 1814.
Duff also furnished an account of Foveran to Sir J. Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland.[6]
Family
On 4 September 1778, he married Ann Mitchell, by whom he had two sons and four daughters.[5]
Notes
- 1 2 3 Dacey 1999, .
- ↑ Cust 1888, p. 131 cites Scots Mag. lxxvii. 319
- ↑ Throsby 2001, .
- ↑ McCarthy 2006, .
- 1 2 Cust 1888, p. 131.
- ↑ Cust 1888, p. 131 cites: Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland ed. 1791–9, vi. 62–70, xxi. Appendix, pages 135–7.
References
- Dacey, John (1999). "Concepts of Creativity: A history". In Mark A. Runco and Steven R. Pritzer. Encyclopedia of Creativity. 1. Elsevier. ISBN 0-12-227076-2.
- McCarthy, John Aloysius (2006). Remapping reality: chaos and creativity in science and literature (Goethe, Nietzsche, Grass). ISBN 90-420-1818-6.
- Throsby, C.D. (2001). Economics and Culture. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-58639-9.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Cust, Lionel Henry (1888). "Duff, William". In Stephen, Leslie. Dictionary of National Biography. 16. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 131. Endotes:
- Hew Scott's Fasti Eccl. Scot., vol. iii. pt. ii. pp. 513, 555, 608
- Brit. Mus. Cat.
- Cat. of Library of Advocates, ii. 680.
- Scots Magazine. lxxvii. 319
External links
- "William Duff". Human Intelligence. Indiana University. Retrieved 23 October 2010.