Edward Granville Browne

“ Moving to London on his marriage in 1889, and collecting a fine oriental library, Gibb lived the life of a studious recluse, rarely going further from London than Glasgow to stay with his parents. He travelled in France, and Italy in 1889, but never visited Turkey or any Eastern country, although he spoke and wrote the Turkish language correctly, and acquired through his reading a profound sympathy with Mohammedan thought. He joined the Royal Asiatic Society about 1881. ”

“ Both parents survived their son. He was educated first at Park School, Glasgow, under Dr. Collier, author of the 'History of England,' and afterwards at Glasgow University, where he matriculated in 1873, and pursued his studies until 1875, but took no degree. Prompted on the one hand by a strong linguistic taste, and on the other by an early delight in the book of the 'Thousand and One Nights' (Alf Layla wa Layla) , and other Eastern tales, Gibb, who was well provided for, devoted himself at an early period to the Arabic, Persian, and more especially Turkish languages and literatures. ”