Herbert Grierson

Sir Herbert John Clifford Grierson (1866–1960) often referred to as Herbert J. C. Grierson, was a Scottish literary scholar editor and literary critic.

He was born in Lerwick, Shetland, on 16 January 1866. He was the son of Andrew John Grierson and his wife, Alice Geraldine De (née Clifford) Grierson. In 1896 he married Mary Letitia (née Ogston) Grierson, daughter of Sir Alexander Ogston, Professor of Surgery at Aberdeen. They had five daughters including Molly Dickins, author of A Wealth of Relations, about family history, writer Flora Grierson who co-founded the Samson Press, and writer and pianist Janet Teissier du Cros.

He was educated at King's College, University of Aberdeen and Christ Church, Oxford. On graduating from the latter he was appointed Professor of English Literature at his Aberdeen alma mater, where he taught from 1894 to 1915, and subsequently became Knight Professor of English Literature at the University of Edinburgh (1915–1935).

He is credited with promoting interest in the metaphysical poets, especially John Donne, a revival more commonly attributed to T. S. Eliot. His special field of research was English poetry of the 17th century, but he was also interested in Walter Scott.

He lived at 12 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh from 1913 to 1953.

He died on 19 February 1960 in Cambridge but is buried in the modern north extension to Dean Cemetery, off Queensferry Road in western Edinburgh. His wife Mary Letitia (1868-1937) lies with him.

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