196 
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 
At my request Debus now applied to Dr Alex. Crum Brown, Playfair’s 
successor in the Edinburgh Chair of Chemistry. Although the problem 
seemed hopeless, he attacked it with the greatest earnestness and un- 
common skill, and he succeeded. 
I am thus enabled to give the following notes of Couper’s life, and here 
thank my honoured friend and distinguished colleague for his kindness in 
placing in my hands the results of his successful efforts. The communica- 
tions which I have used in these biographical notes were obtained by Crum 
Brown in the first place from Couper’s cousins, Mrs Little and Miss Tait, 
Kirkintilloch, and Mr Dollar, the eminent veterinary surgeon, London, and 
from a university friend of Couper, Mr Berring, Coblenz. 
Archibald Scott Couper was born March 31st, 1831, at Townhead,* 
Kirkintilloch, Dumbartonshire, about six miles north-east of Glasgow. 
He was the only surviving son of Archibald Couper, proprietor of a large 
cotton-weaving establishment, employing from 600 to 700 weavers. His 
mother’s maiden name was Helen Dollar. Couper’s father inherited the 
business from his father, who was married to Janet Scott. Couper’s 
second name, “ Scott,” thus came to him from his paternal grandmother. 
There is not much to say about Couper’s early youth ; it is obvious that 
he had a good and careful education at home. 
In the summer or autumn of 1851 Couper went with his intimate 
friend, Alexander Hamilton, -f* to Germany. They had become acquainted 
in Glasgow, where a similarity of taste in literature and philosophy drew 
them together. The two young Scotsmen, in a family in Halle to which 
they had been recommended, applied themselves so diligently to the study 
of the German language (wdiich is said to be easier for Scotsmen than for 
Englishmen), that they were soon able to use it with ease. 
During the winter session 1851-52, Couper attended Latin and Greek 
classes in the University of Glasgow. 
In the summer of 1852 we again find Couper and Hamilton in Berlin, 
where Berring j made their acquaintance. Berring reports that at that 
time Couper followed no special line of study, but took a look at various 
fields of knowledge. 
In August 1852 Couper returned to Scotland, and exchanged the 
University of Glasgow for that of Edinburgh. From this continued 
* Tlie house, which is in the street, is now converted into shops, and the garden partly 
covered with buildings. 
t Alexander Hamilton, M.A. 1851, D.D. 1872 ; United Presbyterian minister, 
Kilmarnock 1855-1872, Brighton 1871-1896. Died at Brighton, 1902. 
X Afterwards Geheimrat, and director of the engineering works in connection with the 
navigation of the Rhine. 
