John Adams (educational writer)

John Adams (1750? – 1814) was a Scottish compiler of books for young readers.

Biography

Adams was born at Aberdeen about 1750. Having graduated at the university there, he obtained a preaching license, and coming to London was appointed minister of the Scotch church in Hatton Garden. Subsequently he opened a school or ‘academy’ at Putney, which proved very successful; the botanists Allan Cunningham and his brother Richard were pupils. He died at Putney in 1814.[1]

Most of his numerous works passed through many editions, and were largely used in schools. Among them may be mentioned:[1]

  1. The Flowers of Ancient History, 1788
  2. Elegant Anecdotes and Bon Mots,’ 1790
  3. A View of Universal History (3 vols.), 1795, which includes a brief account of almost every country in the world down to the date of publication.
  4. The Flowers of Modern History, 1796.
  5. Curious Thoughts on the History of Man, 1799.
  6. The Flowers of Modern Travels (4th edition), 1802.

Adams also published by subscription a volume of sermons dedicated to Lord Grantham in 1805, and he was the author of a very popular Latin schoolbook, entitled Lectiones Selectæ, which reached an eleventh edition in 1823.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lee, Sidney (1885). "Adams, John (1750?–1814), compiler of books for young readers". Dictionary of National Biography Vol. I. Smith, Elder & Co. Retrieved 2009-10-27. The first edition of this text is available as an article on Wikisource:  "Adams, John (1750?-1814)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

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