Bain

Bain, Alexander, LL.D., born at Aberdeen in 1818, and educated there at the Marischal College and University, where he distinguished himself in mental, moral, and natural philosophy, being appointed in 1845 professor of the last at Glasgow. Two years later he came to London, and was assistant secretary to the General Board of Health, whilst from 1860 to 1880 he held the Chair of Logic at Aberdeen. He early began to write in the Westminster Review, and was closely allied with John Stuart Mill. In 1855 he brought out The Senses and the Intellect, his first attempt at an original analysis of the phenomena of the human mind, based on physiology. This was followed by The Emotions and the Will, the two together constituting a complete exposition of his theory of psychology. The Study of Character appeared in 1861, and then Dr. Bain devoted several works to the English language as an instrument for the correct expression of scientific thought. In later years his chief productions were compendia for the use of students, but he assisted in editing James Mill's Analysis of the Human Mind, Grote's Aristotle and Minor Works, and a condensation of Grote's Plato. He also published biographical sketches of James and John Stuart Mill.