Masson, David Mather; Gray, James Allan; Watson, Penelope Gordon; Dickson, W. K; Lumsden, G. J; Sloan, A. D.

David Mather Masson was born in Aberdeen in 1822. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and then he studied at Marischal College, Aberdeen, where he graduated with degree of MA in 1839. He then went to Edinburgh University to study Divinity with the intention of entering the Church, but he gave up his studies. Masson then pursued a literary career, first in Aberdeen, then Edinburgh, then in London. He became Professor of English Literature at University College, London, in 1853, a post which he held for some twelve years. Then, in 1865, he was elected to the Regius Chair of Rhetoric and English Literature at Edinburgh University. While at Edinburgh University, Masson took a prominent part in the fight for the university education of women and he was the first professor to lecture to classes organised by the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association.

Masson's publications include British novelists and their styles: being a critical sketch of the history of British prose fiction (1859), and the multi-volume The life of John Milton: narrated in connexion with the political, ecclesiastical, and literary history of his time (1859-1894).

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