Alexander Brunton 1722-1854

Alexander BRUNTON 1772-1854

Biographical Note

Minister of the Church of Scotland in Bolton near Haddington from 1797. Married the novelist Mary Balfour (1778-1818) in 1798. Moved to Edinburgh when he was appointed minister of New Greyfriar’s Church in 1803; later minister of the Tron Church from 1809. From 1813 to 1847 he was Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages at the University of Edinburgh, as well University Librarian from 1822 until his death. In 1814 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 1823 he was Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly.

Books

His library was sold at auction on 6th March 1848 by C.B. Tait & T. Nisbet in Edinburgh, and consisted of 1347 lots. The majority of his books were printed in the 18th and 19th century. A copy of the catalogue survives at the NLS ((K.R.16.f.2(3))

Sources

• Branagh-Miscampbell, Maxine. “Mary Brunton (1778-1818)” in The Routledge Companion to Romantic Women Writers, ed. Ann R. Hawkins, Catherine S. Blackwell, E. Leigh Bonds, Taylor & Francis, 2022
• Catalogue of a portion of the extensive library of the Rev. Alex. Brunton, D.D., late Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages, in the University of Edinburgh. Consisting of a valuable collection of books, in divinity, oriental literature and languages, and general literature; including Biblia sacra... Edinburgh, 1848
• Scott, Hew et al. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, 9 vols, new edn. Edinburgh, Oliver & Boyd, 1915–61.