associations in the free church, and from 1864 to 1866 he was resident tutor in the theological college of the presbyterian church of England in London.
The remainder of Hunter's life was devoted mainly to literary work. For seventeen years he was engaged in editing the 'Encyclopædic Dictionary,' published in 1889, and reissued in 1895 by the proprietor of the 'Daily Chronicle' as 'Lloyd's Encyclopaedic Dictionary.' Sir Richard Owen called it 'a colossal work.' It is a monument of wide knowledge, clear arrangement, and judicious condensation. He also published the 'Sunday School Teacher's Bible Manual' (1893), now known as Cassell's 'Concise Bible Dictionary' (1894), and was a frequent contributor to the 'British and Foreign Evangelical Review 'and other religious journals and periodicals of the day. While engaged in literary work Hunter also continued to render good service in evangelistic work in London. He founded the Victoria Docks Sunday school and church in connection with the presbyterian church of England, and for over twenty years conducted religious services at Sewardstone, near Tottenham.
The university of Aberdeen conferred the degree of L.L.D. upon Hunter in 1883. He was also a fellow of the Geological Society, a member of the British Archaeological Society, and was connected with other learned bodies. He was a man of vast learning, of extensive scientific attainments, and of great application—a man, too, of a humble, gentle, and retiring disposition and of genuine piety. He died on 25 Feb. 1897 at his residence in Epping Forest. An earnest preacher of the gospel and a devoted missionary, he will be specially remembered as an experienced scientist and a skilful lexicographer. Besides the works already mentioned, Hunter published: 1. 'History of India,' 1863. 2. 'History of the Missions of the Free Church of Scotland in India and Africa,' 1873.
[Information chiefly from the Rev. "W. Hume Elliot, Ramsbottom, by whom a memoir of Hunter is to be published shortly; in the Brit. Mus. Cat. Hunter's works are ascribed to two different persons.]
HUNTER, WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1844–1898), lawyer, born in Aberdeen on 8 May 1844, was the eldest son of James Hunter, granite merchant, by his wife, Margaret Boddie of Aberdeen. He was educated at the grammar school and university (King's College) of Aberdeen, entering college at the age of sixteen, with a high place in the bursary competition. In 1862-1863 he was first prizeman in logic, moral philosophy, Christian evidences, botany, and chemistry, and in 1864 graduated as M. A. with 'the highest honours' in mental philosophy and in natural science. Besides several prizes he gained the Ferguson scholarship in mental philosophy, and the Murray scholarship awarded by the univer- sity after a competitive examination in all the subjects of the arts curriculum. With this successful record he was encouraged to read for the bar, and entered the Middle Temple in 1865. After taking numerous exhibitions awarded by the council of legal education, and passing his examinations with first-class honours, he was called to the English bar in 1867, and joined the south-eastern circuit.
For some years Hunter's work was almost entirely educational. In 1868 he gained the 'proxime accessit Shaw fellowship' in philosophy, which, like the Ferguson, is open to graduates of all Scottish universities. Shortly afterwards he took the Blackwell prize for the best essay on the philosophy of Leibnitz, and on 7 Aug. 1869 was appointed professor of Roman law at University College, London. His class was never large, but he devoted much time to the preparation of his lectures, and elaborated a logical arrangement of the subject, which afterwards appeared in his textbooks. In 1878 he resigned the chair of Roman law, and on 2 Nov. was appointed professor of jurisprudence in the same college. His lectures on this subject during the four years he held the chair contained much valuable criticism of Austen and other writers, but the matter was not published except in a few magazine articles. Under the influence of John Stuart Mill he took an active part in the agitation for the political enfranchisement of women, and aided in obtaining for them opportunities of higher education. In 1875, following the example of Professor John Eliot Cairnes [q. v.], he admitted women to his class in Roman law, and extended to them the same privilege when he afterwards became professor of jurisprudence. In 1882 he resigned his chair of jurisprudence at University College, and in the same year received the degree of LL.D. from the university of Aberdeen. While professor at University College Hunter acted from time to time as examiner in Roman law and jurisprudence at the university of London, and he wrote on social and political subjects in the 'Examiner' and other newspapers. He was for five years editor of the 'Weekly Dispatch' In 1875 he wrote a pamphlet on the 'Law of
