William Duff (writer)
# William Duff (writer)

William Duff (1732–1815) was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and one of the first writers to analyse the nature of genius as a property of human psychology. 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 M.A., 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 he was transferred to Peterculter in the same county, 24 October 1766, being admitted 4 March 1767. He was nominated minister of Foveran, also in Aberdeenshire, in February 1774, and took up 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.

## Theory of genius

Duff was primarily interested in establishing the cognitive traits that explained variance in people's accomplishments. He postulated three aspects: imagination, judgement and taste. He emphasised imagination as making the most important contribution to genius.

## Published works

Duff is author of:

* An Essay on Original Genius and its Various Modes of Exertion 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 celebrated 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.

## Family

On 4 September 1778, he married Ann Mitchell, by whom he had two sons and four daughters.

