Robert Forsyth (writer) facts for kids
Robert Forsyth (1766–1845) was a Scottish writer. He is most famous for his five-book series called The Beauties of Scotland.
Contents
Robert Forsyth's Early Life
Robert Forsyth was born in Biggar, Scotland, on January 18, 1766. His parents, Robert and Marion, did not have much money. However, they made sure he received a good education. They hoped he would become a minister in the church.
When he was fourteen, Robert went to Glasgow College. After his studies, he became a "probationer" for the Church of Scotland. This meant he was training to be a minister and had to serve a special period of time before becoming a full minister.
Trying Different Jobs
Robert was a popular probationer, but it was hard for him to find a church to lead. He got tired of waiting and decided to try a new career in law. However, he faced problems, possibly because his family was not wealthy or well-known. People also objected to him becoming a lawyer because he was still a church probationer.
The group of lawyers, called the Faculty of Advocates, refused to let him join. Robert asked the court for help. The court said he had to give up his church role to become a lawyer. He did this, but the Faculty still said no.
Finally, in 1792, Robert Forsyth was allowed to become an advocate (a type of lawyer). A judge named Lord-President Campbell helped convince the Faculty to change their minds. But even then, Robert did not do well in law. Some people thought he was a "revolutionist" because he had spent time with groups who wanted big changes in society.
A Career in Writing
Since law was not working out, Robert turned to writing. He earned money by writing for booksellers. He even wrote articles for the Encyclopædia Britannica between 1802 and 1803. These included articles about "Agriculture," "Asia," and "Britain." He also tried writing poetry, about politics, and about philosophy, but these were not very successful.
Eventually, Robert found some success as a lawyer. He worked very hard, which he called his "great fits of application."
Robert Forsyth's Books
Robert Forsyth wrote many books that showed his different interests. Some of his main works include:
- Principles and Practice of Agriculture (2 books, 1804)
- The Principles of Moral Science (1805)
- Political Fragments (1830)
- Observations on the Book of Genesis (1846)
His most famous work is The Beauties of Scotland (5 books, 1805–1808). This series is still popular today. It includes many engravings, which are detailed pictures, of Scottish towns and interesting places.
When he was 76, Robert wrote a small book called Remarks on the Church of Scotland, &c (1843). This showed he was still loyal to the church. A writer named Hugh Miller reviewed this book. Miller made fun of some of Robert's ideas about philosophy.
However, some of Robert's ideas were quite forward-thinking. For example, he once wrote: "Whatever has no tendency to improvement will gradually pass away and disappear for ever." This sounds a lot like the modern idea of survival of the fittest, where things that are not useful eventually disappear. He also wrote about immortality, saying it is "appointed as the portion of those who are worthy of it." This idea is similar to "conditional immortality," a belief held by some Christians today.
Robert Forsyth passed away in Edinburgh on September 30, 1845.
