It is only fitting that
some notice should be taken in the pages of the Scottish Historical
Review of the demise of one to whom all students engaged in the
investigation of the political, social, or family history of Scotland
owe a deep debt of gratitude. Other men of eminence in the same field
have passed away honoured with the usual column in the daily press, but
no such memorial has been given to one who deserves in a very high
degree to be remembered for his life’s work. It is perhaps only
consonant with the character of the man that such should have been the
case; but, on the other hand, it is but proper that some record should
be made of one who did so much in the cause of historical knowledge.
Dr. Dickson’s career was
a simple one, and can be easily told. Born some seventy-nine years ago,
he was, as a young man, destined for the ministry of the Free Church; an
affection of the throat, however, occasioned it is said by a chill after
some athletic exercise, put an end to his hopes of preaching, and led
him to turn his footsteps into less declamatory paths. In 1859 he
obtained the appointment of principal assistant in the Advocates9
Library, and the literary gifts and cultivated scholarship which he
there developed and displayed led him to be appointed in 1867 successor
to Joseph Robertson (who himself expressed a desire that he should
succeed him) as Curator of the Historical Department in the Register
House of Edinburgh. It was no small task to succeed such a man, who had
been cut off in the fulness of his intellectual powers, and it says much
for Dickson’s ability and force of character that before long he was
recognised as a worthy holder of the office. Of a singularly modest and
retiring disposition he did not give to the public many results of his
labours, but no man was more willing to communicate to inquirers any
information which he could supply, and there is hardly a single student
of Scottish History, in its various branches, who is not obliged to him
for assistance freely rendered from his stores of knowledge. In 1878 he
was appointed one of the secretaries for foreign correspondence to the
Society of Antiquaries, a post which he held till 1891. Save in the
excellent working order in which he handed over his office of Historical
Curator to his successor, he left few permanent records of his learning
and zeal; but under the editorship of Cosmo Innes he personally
superintended the preparation of the fac-similes of the National
Manuscripts of Scotland; and, indeed, all the Record publications which
appeared during his tenure of office owe much of their excellence to his
skilled guidance. The public, too, are indebted to him for one of the
best prefaces which was ever written to a volume of the Records. In 1877
he completed his great introduction to the first volume of the accounts
of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland. He had done the work of editing
entirely in his leisure hours, and from pure love of his subject, as he
did not receive a penny of remuneration for it from the Government. It
is a worthy memorial of the man, displaying not only a great knowledge
of Scottish History, but an intimate acquaintance with the social life
of the period (1473-98)- Whether he discoursed on costume, military and
naval affairs, the sports and pastimes of the people, the price of food,
or the rate of wages, he threw an illumination on the subject such as
had never been done before. A list of the Heralds and Pursuivants of
Scotland, which was appended to the preface, was a valuable addition to
a little-known bye-path of research. His merits were soon to be
recognised in an appropriate way, and in 1886 the University of
Edinburgh conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. For years afterwards he
worked quietly but effectively in the office which he loved, and for the
efficiency of which he spared no trouble. But at last the time came
when, under the regulations of the service, he had to retire and while
he twice got extensions of his period of service, he had ultimately to
give up what was to him a congenial and absorbing occupation, and in
1895 he finally quitted his post. He felt the parting from his official
work keenly—too keenly in fact. His friends tried to persuade him again
to take up the editorship of the Treasurer’s Accounts, with which
Government had resolved to proceed, but his finely-strung and sensitive
nature had received too severe a shock to permit him to undertake it
with pleasure, and no inducement could prevail on him to resume work.
Very occasionally his former colleagues saw him in his old haunts, but
of late years his health gave way, and he led a very retired life. He
passed away peacefully on the 16th of November, leaving behind him a
memory which will be gratefully cherished by all who knew him, and
having worthily enrolled himself in that distinguished band of record
scholars of which Scotland is so justly proud.
J. Balfour Paul. |