Robert Kerr (writer) facts for kids
Robert Kerr (born October 20, 1757 – died October 11, 1813) was a Scottish surgeon, writer, and translator. He was known for translating important scientific books into English. He also wrote many of his own books on science, history, and travel.
Contents
Robert Kerr's Life Story
Early Life and Education
Robert Kerr was born in 1757 in a place called Bughtridge in Roxburghshire, Scotland. His father, James Kerr, was a jeweller and even served as a Member of Parliament for Edinburgh for a few years.
Robert went to the High School in Edinburgh. After that, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He became a surgeon and worked at the Edinburgh Foundling Hospital.
A Surgeon and Translator
In 1788, Robert Kerr became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a special group for important scientists and thinkers.
He was very good at translating scientific books from other languages into English. For example, he translated a famous chemistry book by Antoine Lavoisier in 1790. It was called Elements of Chemistry in a New Systematic Order containing All the Modern Discoveries.
In 1792, he translated the first two volumes of Systema Naturae by Carl Linnaeus. This book was very important for naming and classifying different species of animals. Robert Kerr's translation was called The Animal Kingdom.
New Ventures and Later Works
In 1794, Robert Kerr stopped working as a surgeon. He bought a paper mill in Ayton in Berwickshire and decided to manage it. However, this business did not go well, and he lost a lot of his money.
Because of his financial difficulties, he started writing again in 1809. He wrote several books, including one about farming in Berwickshire. His last work was a translation of a book by Georges Cuvier about fossil bones. This book was published after Robert Kerr's death and was called "Essays on the Theory of the Earth".
He also wrote a huge history book called A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels. This book had eighteen volumes! He started writing it in 1811. The last parts of this big series were published even after he passed away.
His Final Years
Robert Kerr died at his home in Edinburgh on October 11, 1813. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in central Edinburgh. His grave is next to a much older stone monument. His son, David Wardrobe Kerr, who died young, is also buried with him.
Selected Writings
- Volume 01
- Volume 02
- Volume 03
- Volume 04
- Volume 05
- Volume 06
- Volume 07
- Volume 08
- Volume 09
- Volume 10
- Volume 11
- Volume 12
- Volume 13
- Volume 14
- Volume 15
- Volume 16
- Volume 17
- Volume 18
See also
In Spanish: Robert Kerr para niños
- Category:Taxa named by Robert Kerr (writer)
