Aglionby Ross Carson

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...

LLD (1780 – 4 November 1850) was a Scottish educationalist and author. He served as rector of the High School in Edinburgh from 1820 to 1845. His Latin texts remain in use. In texts he is usually referred to as A. R. Carson.

Life

He was born in Hollywood in

Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...

and his early life was spent in Closeburn. He was educated at Wallace Hall then sent to

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

to study, first at the

Edinburgh High School The Royal High School (RHS) of Edinburgh is a co-educational school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland. It serves around 1,400 pupils drawn from four feeder pr ...

then at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

, studying

classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...

. From 1801 to 1806 he served as rector of Dumfries Grammar School. He then returned to Edinburgh High School to teach Classics, until 1820, when he was promoted to rector, in charge of the school. He was a contributor to the ''Scottish Review'' and ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...

''. He was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

in 1821 and in 1826 the

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

awarded him an honorary doctorate (LL.D). In the 1830s he is listed at 82 Lauriston Place in Edinburgh, just west of

Greyfriars Kirkyard Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 1 ...

. He resigned as rector of the high school in 1845. He died in

on 4 November 1850 and is buried in

with his wife Anne Irving and four of their children. The grave lies towards the north end of the western extension. A memorial to Carson was later erected in

St Giles Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral (), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; significant alteratio ...

in Edinburgh.

Publications

*''The Relative Qui, Quae, Quad'' *''Exercises in Attic Greek'' *Translations of ''Tacitus'' and ''Phaedrus''

Artistic recognition

His portrait, by Sir John Watson Gordon, is held by the

Royal High School, Edinburgh The Royal High School (RHS) of Edinburgh is a co-educational school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland. It serves around 1,400 pupils drawn from four feeder pr ...

Family

His granddaughter, Mary Carson, married the anatomist

David Hepburn David Hepburn Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, CMG FRSE (1859-1931) was a Scottish physician and anatomist. He served as president of the Anatomical Society 1916 to 1918. Life He was born in Milnathort on 30 October 1858, ...

References

1780 births 1850 deaths People associated with Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Burials at Greyfriars Kirkyard {{Scotland-academic-stub