John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, Unionist politician, and diplomat. Celebrated for his biographies and swift-paced adventure stories that often feature intricate cross-country chases, he wrote some 100 published books, usually in his spare time, while pursuing a demanding career in politics and diplomacy. He served as Governor-Feneral of Canada 1935–40.
Born the son of a Free Church minister in Perth, Scotland, Buchan was educated at Glasgow University and Brasenose College, Oxford. By the time he left Oxford, Buchan had published numerous books, including the novel Sir Quixote of the Moors (1895) and the volume of essays Scholar Gipsies (1896.)
In 1901, Buchan was called to the bar; he became a private secretary to the high commissioner for South Africa. He returned in 1903 to become a director of the publisher Nelson’s.
During World War I, Buchan served as director of foreign propaganda until 1917, when he became Director of Information. He became a Member of Parliament for the Scottish Universities (1927–35.) He was raised to the peerage in 1935, and he served as Governor-General of Canada 1935–40. In 1937, he was made a Privy Councillor and Chancellor of Edinburgh University.
Buchan’s reputation as a writer was for fast-moving adventure stories, which include Prester John (1910,) Huntingtower (1922,) and Witch Wood (1927.) He became best known for his secret-service thrillers featuring the character Richard Hannay: The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915; film by Alfred Hitchcock, 1935,) Greenmantle (1916,) The Three Hostages (1924,) and others.
Buchan also wrote biographies, including the Marquess of Montrose (1928) and Sir Walter Scott (1932.) His autobiography is Memory Hold-the-Door (1940.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Education is the only cure for certain diseases the modern world has engendered, but if you don’t find the disease, the remedy is superfluous.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Education
The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
History gives us a kind of chart, and we dare not surrender even a small rushlight in the darkness. The hasty reformer who does not remember the past will find himself condemned to repeat it.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
The United States is the richest, and, both actually and potentially, the most powerful state on the globe. She has much to give to the world; indeed, to her hands is chiefly entrusted the shaping of the future. If democracy in the broadest and truest sense is to survive, it will be mainly because of her guardianship.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
He disliked emotion, not because he felt lightly, but because he felt deeply.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Feelings
‘What would you call the highest happiness?’ Wratislaw was asked. ‘The sense of competence,’ was the answer, given without hesitation.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Happiness
But some love not the method of your first; Romance they count it, throw’t away as dust; If I should meet with such, what should I say; Must I slight them as they slight me, or nay
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Romance
Without humility there can be no humanity.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Humility
An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Atheism
Civilization is a conspiracy. Modern life is the silent compact of comfortable folk to keep up pretences.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
When I examined my political faith I found that my strongest belief was in democracy according to my own definition. Democracythe essential thing as distinguished from this or that democratic governmentwas primarily an attitude of mind, a spiritual testament, and not an economic structure or a political machine. The testament involved certain basic beliefsthat the personality was sacrosanct, which was the meaning of liberty; that policy should be settled by free discussion; that normally a minority should be ready to yield to a majority, which in turn should respect a minoritys sacred things. It seemed to me that democracy had been in the past too narrowly defined and had been identified illogically with some particular economic or political system such as laissez-faire or British parliamentarism. I could imagine a democracy which economically was largely socialist and which had not our constitutional pattern.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
I believe that all wisdom consists in caring immensely for a few right things, and not caring a straw about the rest.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Wisdom
Our business is not only with eternity but with time, to build up on earth the kingdom of God, to enable man to live worthily and not merely to die in hope.
—John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
Topics: Religion
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Robert Louis Stevenson Scottish Novelist
J. M. Barrie Scottish Novelist
Walter Scott Scottish Novelist
Tobias Smollett Scottish Poet
Ramsay MacDonald British Head of State
Winston Churchill British Head of State
Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux Scottish Jurist, Politician
Adam Smith Scottish Philosopher
David Livingstone Scottish Missionary, Explorer
Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey Scottish Judge, Critic