Background
He was born at Pilrig, near Edinburgh.
He was born at Pilrig, near Edinburgh.
University of Edinburgh.
After studying at Edinburgh and at Leyden, he was called to the Scottish Barometer He held the offices of treasurer to the faculty of Advocates and sheriff-substitute of the county of Edinburgh. In 1754 he was appointed to the chair of moral philosophy in the University of Edinburgh, and in 1754 transferred to that of the law of nature and nations.
Balfour"s mother was a Mission Hamilton, of Airdrie, great-grandaunt of the late Sir William Hamilton, 9th Baronet, professor of logic and metaphysics in the University of Edinburgh 1836-1856.
The brothers George William Balfour and James Balfour were great-grandsons, the former a heart specialist in Scotland, and the latter a marine engineer in New Zealand.