PREFACE. ← ERHAPS no country in the world offers such a field for poetic research, so interesting and so varied, as is to be found amongst the Bards of Scotland. Their name is legion; but though so many, the work of selection has been a pleasurable task. Some poets are nature's own true nobility; their words tell forth in sober measure of the worth and nobleness of character breathing in their inmost souls. The one aim of their easy flowing metric utterances wells out from the experience of full hearts, and gives to their countrymen and the world, hearty cheer, earnest sympathy, and grateful comfort; or draws lessons and pictures from the "grand auld hills," the flocks and herds, the flowers, the sea, as with a master hand. Kindliness and the gentler touches of love indeed abound, and are lisped in words simple and natural. Scotland rivals the land and age of Homer in committing to memory's page the songs of well-beloved bards.-No one can be happy without a friend, and not unfrequently a book proves to be a friend indeed. When we are able to take up a volume in moments of weariness and overpressure, and dip here and there, and find that others both in the far and near past were "men of like passions" with ourselves, then our spirits are revived, we are cheered and encouraged to struggle on in life's work, and so endeavour bravely to do our duty. Our special endeavour has been to bring together not so much the words which breathe the "softer" passion, nor yet those which carry us into the din of war, but rather to cull, as far as possible, the fresh stirring verses, suited to youth or more advanced years, encouraging to manly thought and action, inspiriting for the battle of life. With this aim kept steadily in view with regard to specimens of poetry, we also venture to hope that the life-sketches will be of interest and value, showing as they do in many cases, that to become eminent in any line of life, a man must perseveringly work and overcome opposing difficulties, and that there is no royal road to success. Some of the sketches are brief, and some of the metrical extracts are of necessity short, or the volume would have grown far beyond the dimensions originally purposed. But we venture to believe the biographies will be found reliable, and the poems such as will offer a fair sample of the authors' style and quality. A popular edition of the Poets of Scotland was not to be had in a cheap form when this edition was first advertised, but two or three have since been announced. Literature has made rapid progress during the past forty or fifty years, and to be unacquainted with the lives and writings of our poets is now considered almost a culpable fault. This volume has been in preparation since the early part of the year. From many writers well known in literary circles we have received assistance and advice, and we would here heartily thank the numerous friends who have so ably aided in the work. Especially would we gratefully acknowledge the courtesies and favours rendered by interviews and letters, from Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Devonshire, K.G. F.R.S., Lord Lorne, K.T., Sir Chas. King, Bart., Sir Edwin Arnold, K.C.S.I., Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B., Professor J. S. Blackie, Professor Patrick Geddes, Professor J. M. D. Meiklejohn, Henry Byron Reed, M.P., Alfred Austin, Esq., J.P., Dr. George Macdonald, Dr. James, Rev. Dr, Wright, Canon West, A. E. Ellison, F.S.A., and P. Cowell, Esq. It would be impossible for us to over-estimate the genuine assistance of our friends-Dr. Chas. F. Forshaw, during the progress of the work, in revision of proofs, preparing the index, &c., of Mr. Butler Wood in helpful suggestions and innumerable kindnesses, and of Dr. Richard Garnett of the British Museum; their genial manner in furthering our work, and evident hearty interest manifested in it, will never be forgotten. ILKLEY COLLEGE, YORKSHIRE, December, 1891. WALTER J. KAYE. Works consulted during the preparation of this Volume. Adamson's Muses Threnodie Ainslie's Scottish Songs Aird's, T., Captive of Fez Poetical Works Aird's, M. P., Sun and Shade Allan, Wm., Roses and Thistles ་་ Heather Bells Allan's, P. J., Poetical Remains Allibone's Dictionary of British and Anderson's British Poets, 20 vols. Anderson's Scottish Biography Poetical Works Odd Sketches Chronicle of the 100th Birthday of Burns Cunningham's, A., Songs of Scotland, Cunningham's, A., Maid of Elvar, &c. The Gift for all Seasons, &c. Douglas, Sir Geo., Bart., Minor Scottish Anderson's Scottish Nation, 3 vols. Argyle, Duke of, John Walpole, a Song Poems Drummond's Poems Encyclopædia Britannica Farr's Select Poetry of the Elizabethan Fergusson's Poems Forshaw's Yorkshire Poets Falconer's Shipwreck Gillespie's Consolation and other Poems Gray's Poetical Works Gems of National Poetry Grainger's Poetical Works Hall's Memoirs of Great Men and Hamilton, James, Charms of Beauty William, Poems and Songs Hall's S. C., Memoirs of Great Men Lang's Rhymes à la mode Ballads and Verses Vain Ballads and Lyrics of Old France Thistle and other Poems Landsborough's Arran, &c. Lawson's Maniac and other Poems Leighton's Rhymes and Poems Records and other Poems Leyden's Complaynt of Scotland &c. Scottish Descriptive Poems, Lorne, The Marquis of, Guido and Lita Scotland Nairne's, Baroness, Life and Songs Neil, G. Four Poems Nicoll's Poems and Lyrics Ogilvie's, J. Rev. D.D., Poems, 2 vols. Park's Poetical Works Pollok's Course of Time Popular Encyclopædia Popular Poets of the Period. Pickens, Ebenezer, Miscellaneous Poems Lorne, The Marquis of, A Trip to the Rogers' Scottish Minstrel Tropics Ramsay's Poetical Works, etc., etc. The Psalms in Miller's, W. J., Offerings to Friendship Thomson's Seasons and other Poems |