Brown was born in
Biggar, Scotland, the son of Jane (née Nimmo) and clergyman
John Brown (1784–1858). His mother died when he was six years old. which remains to this day. In 1847, Brown became a Fellow of the
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and for a while was Honorary Librarian. He held strong views on the inappropriateness of examinations for evaluating student progress and was unimpressed by the view that scientific advances were in patients' best interests. Brown was the friend of many contemporaries, including
Thackeray and
Mark Twain. His reputation is based on the two volumes of essays,
Horae Subsecivae (
Leisure Hours) (1858, 1861),
John Leech and Other Papers (1882),
Rab and His Friends (1859), and
Marjorie Fleming: a Sketch (1863) (generally called
Pet Marjorie). His first writing was in response to a request for contributions to the notices of paintings exhibited by the
Royal Scottish Academy. The editor of the
Scotsman newspaper then asked him to write regularly for the paper. He was 48 years old when he published
Rab and His Friends. His writings were philosophical,
classical,
artistic, medical, of rural life, the
Jacobite Rebellion, notable characters, humble folk and canine friends. These were published as a collection in 1858 as
Horæ Subsecivæ, which ran to many editions. The first volume deals mainly with the equipment and duties of a physician, the second with subjects outside his profession. Brown was revered and beloved to uncommon degree, and he was the cherished friend of many distinguished contemporaries, including
Thackeray. Among those whose writing he encouraged was
Henrietta Keddie, then a schoolgirl in Leith, who would become a prolific novelist and writer for children. In the mingling of tenderness and delicate humour, Brown has much in common with Lamb; in his insight into dog-nature he is unique. He wrote comparatively little; but all he wrote is good, some of it perfect of its kind. Brown suffered during the latter years of his life from attacks of
melancholy. He died at home at 23 Rutland Street in Edinburgh. on 11 May 1882, and was buried in his father's plot in
New Calton Cemetery. The grave lies on the western side on the edge of one of the terraces. The inscription to Brown and the base and are largely obscured, but it is confirmed by his mother's name above. ==Family==