Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bower, Alexander

by Charles William Sutton

BOWER, ALEXANDER (fl. 1804–1830), biographer, was originally a teacher in Edinburgh, and afterwards acted as assistant-librarian in the university of Edinburgh. He died suddenly about 1830–1. He published several works between 1804 and 1830, the titles of them being:

1. 'An Account of the Life of James Beattie, LL.D.,' in which are occasionally given characters of the principal literary men, and a sketch of the state of literature in Scotland during the last century, 1804, 8vo.
2. 'The Life of Luther, with an account of the early progress of the Reformation,' 1813, 8vo.
3. 'The History of the University of Edinburgh, chiefly compiled from original Papers and Records never before published,' vols. i. ii., 1817, vol. iii. 1830, 8vo. This work is strong in biographical details of the professors and others, but in other points the history is now of little value.
4. 'The Edinburgh Students' Guide, or an Account of the Classes of the University,' 1822.

[Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Cat. of the Advocates' Library; Grant's Edin. University, 1884, i. p.ix.]

C. W. S.