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William Duff (1732 – 1815) Was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and one of the first writers to analyze the kind of genius as a property of human psychology. [1] His Essay on Original Genius is frequently cited as a landmark in the Western analysis of genius and creativity .
Ministry and family
Duff was a Scottish minister and MA, was licensed by the presbytery 25 June 1755, called 18 September, and ordained 8 October, when he was appointed to the parish of Glenbucket , Aberdeenshire. Thence was sent to Peterculter in the same county, October 24, 1766, being admitted March 4, 1767. He was appointed Minister of Foveran , also in Aberdeenshire, in February 1774, and took over his home a year later. There he got a new church built in 1794, and died father of the synod, 23 February 1815, in the eighty-third year of his age, and sixtieth of his ministry. [2]
Theory of genius
Duff was particularly interested in establishing the cognitive traits that explained variance in people’s accomplishments. [1] He postulated three aspects: imagination, judgment and taste. [[# cite_note-FOOTNOTEThrosby2001 [[Category: Wikipedia_articles_needing_page_number_citations_from_November_2011]] <sup_class = “noprint_Inline-Template _” _ style=”white-space: nowrap;”> & # 91; <i> [[Wikipedia: Citing_sources | <span_title = “This_citation_requires_a_reference_to_the_specific_page_or_range_of_pages_in_which_the_material_appears .? ” `UNIQ – nowiki-00000003-QINU`” ‘_ (November_2011) “> & nbsp; needed </ span>]] </ i> & # 93; </ sup> -3 | [3] ]Notably, he emphasized the imagination as making the most important contribution to genius.[[# Cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcCarthy2006 [[Category: Wikipedia_articles_needing_page_number_citations_from_November_2011]] <sup_class = “noprint_Inline-Template _” _ style=”white-space: nowrap;”> & # 91; <i> [[Wikipedia: Citing_sources | <span_title = “This_citation_requires_a_reference_to_the_specific_page_or_range_of_pages_in_which_the_material_appears .? ” `UNIQ – nowiki-00000006-QINU`” ‘_ (November_2011) “> & nbsp; needed </ span>]] </ i> & # 93; </ sup> -4 | [4]? ]]
Published works
Duff is author of: [5]
- An Essay on Various Genius and its Various Modes of Expression in Philosophy and the Fine Arts, particularly in Poetry (anon.), Octavo, London, 1767, a work which exhibits considerable acquaintance with classical authors. A sequel is
- Critical Observations on the Writings of the Most Honored Original Geniuses in Poetry , Octavo, London, 1770.
- The History of Rhedi, the Hermit of Mount Ararat. An Oriental Tale (anon.), Duodecimo, London, 1773.
- Sermons on Several Occasions’ , 2 volumes duodecimo, Aberdeen, 1786.
- Letters on the Intellectual and Moral Character of Women , octavo, Aberdeen, 1807.
- The Last Address of a Clergyman in the Decline of Life , Octavo, Aberdeen, 1814.
Duff also furnished an account of Foveran to Sir J. Sinclair’s Statistical Account of Scotland . [6]
Family
On September 4, 1778, he married Ann Mitchell, by whom he had two sons and four daughters. [5]