Background
Crichton, youngest son of a small landed proprietor, was born in the parish of Kirkmahoe, Dumfriesshire, December 1790, and educated at Dumfries Academy and at the university of Edinburgh.
Crichton, youngest son of a small landed proprietor, was born in the parish of Kirkmahoe, Dumfriesshire, December 1790, and educated at Dumfries Academy and at the university of Edinburgh.
University of Edinburgh.
After becoming a licensed preacher he was for some time engaged in teaching in Edinburgh and North Berwick. In 1823 he published his first work, the Life of the Review John Blackadder, which was followed by the Life of Colonel J. Blackadder, 1824, and Memoirs of the Review
Thomas Scott, 1825.
To Constable"s Miscellany he contributed five volumes, viz. Converts from Infidelity, 2 volumes 1827, and a translation of Christoph Wilhelm von Koch"s Revolutions in Europe, 3 volumes
1828.
In the Edinburgh Cabinet Library he wrote the History of Arabia, 2 volumes
1833, and Scandinavia, Ancient and Modern (written with Henry Wheaton), 2 volumes 1838. He commenced his connection with the newspaper press in 1828 by editing (at first in conjunction with De Quincey) the Edinburgh Evening Post.
In 1830 he conducted the North Briton, and in 1832 he undertook the editorship of the Edinburgh Advertiser, in which employment he continued till June 1851. In 1837 the university of Saint Andrews conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Laws.
He died at 33 Saint Bernard"s Crescent, Edinburgh, 9 January
He was a good friend of Leitch Ritchie, who was his neighbour at Street Bernards Cresecent.