"Tales in Verse, and Miscellaneous Poems descriptive of Rural Life and Manners," Edinburgh, 12mo. By the publication he realised £100, but this sum was diminished by his imprudent excesses. With the balance, he republished some tracts on the subject of Universal Redemption, which exhausted the remainder of his profits. In 1826 he proceeded to London, where he was kindly entertained by Allan Cunningham and other distinguished countrymen. On his return to Galloway, he was engaged for a short time as assistant to a catttle-driver. In 1828, he published a second edition of his poems, which was dedicated to Lord Brougham, and to which was prefixed a humorous narrative of his life by Mr Macdiarmid. Latterly, Nicholson assumed the character of a gaberlunzie; he played at merry-makings on his bag-pipes, for snuff and whisky. For some time his head-quarters were at Howford, in the parish of Tongland; he ultimately was kept by the Poors' Board of his native parish. He died at Brigend of Borgue, on the 16th May 1849. He was rather above the middle size, and was well formed. His countenance was peculiarly marked, and his eyes were concealed by his bushy eye-brows and long brown hair. As a poet and songwriter he claims a place in the national minstrelsy, which the irregular habits of his life will not forfeit. The longest poem in his published volume, entitled "The Country Lass," in the same measure as the "Queen's Wake," contains much simple and graphic delineation of life; while the ballad of "The Brownie of Blednoch," has passages of singular power. His songs are true to nature.

THE BRAES OF GALLOWAY.

TUNE-" White Cockade."

O LASSIE, wilt thou gang wi' me,
And leave thy frien's i' th' south countrie-
Thy former frien's and sweethearts a',
And gang wi' me to Gallowa'?

Ŏ Gallowa' braes they wave wi' broom,
And heather-bells in bonnie bloom;
T'here's lordly seats, and livin's braw,
Amang the braes o' Gallowa'!

There's stately woods on mony a brae,
Where burns and birds in concert play;
The waukrife echo answers a',
Amang the braes o' Gallowa'.

O Gallowa' braes, etc.

The simmer shiel I'll build for thee
Alang the bonnie banks o' Dee,
Half circlin' roun' my father's ha',
Amang the braes o' Gallowa'.

O Gallowa' braes, etc.

When autumn waves her flowin' horn,
And fields o' gowden grain are shorn,
I'll busk thee fine, in pearlins braw,
To join the dance in Gallowa'.

O Gallowa' braes, etc.

At e'en, whan darkness shrouds the sight,
And lanely, langsome is the night,
Wi' tentie care my pipes I'll thraw,
Play "A' the way to Gallowa"."

O Gallowa' braes, etc.

Should fickle fortune on us frown,

Nae lack o' gear our love should drown;
Content should shield our haddin' sma',
Amang the braes o' Gallowa'.

Come while the blossom's on the broom,
And heather bells sae bonnie bloom;
Come let us be the happiest twa
On a' the braes o' Gallowa'!

THE HILLS OF THE HIGHLANDS.
TUNE-"Ewe Bughts, Marion."
WILL ye go to the Highlan's, my Mary,
And visit our haughs and our glens?
There's beauty 'mang hills o' the Highlan's,
That lass i' th' Lowlands ne'er kens.
'Tis true we've few cowslips or roses,

Nae lilies grow wild on the lea;
But the heather its sweet scent discloses,
And the daisy's as sweet to the ee.

See yon far heathy hills, whare they're risin',
Whose summits are shaded wi' blue;
There the fleet mountain roes they are lyin',
Or feedin' their fawns, love, for you.

Right sweet are our scenes i' the gloamin',
Whan shepherds return frae the hill,
Aroun' by the banks o' Loch Lomon',
While bagpipes are soundin' sae shrill.
Right sweet are the low-setting sunbeams,
That point owre the quivering stream;
But sweeter the smiles o' my Mary,
And kinder the blinks o' her een.

0! WILL YE GO TO YON BURN SIDE?
TUNE-"Will ye walk the woods with me?”
O! WILL ye go to yon burn side,
Amang the new-made hay;
And sport upon the flowery swaird,
My ain dear May?

The sun blinks blythe on yon burn side,
Whare lambkins lightly play,
The wild bird whistles to his mate,
My ain dear May.

The waving woods, wi' mantle green,
Shall shield us in the bower,
Whare I'll pu' a posy for my May,
O' mony a bonnie flower.
My father maws ayont the burn,
My mammy spins at hame;

And should they see thee here wi' me,
I'd better been my lane.

The lightsome lammie little kens
What troubles it await-

Whan ance the flush o' spring is o'er,
The fause bird lea'es its mate.
The flowers will fade, the woods decay,
And lose their bonnie green;
The sun wi' clouds may be o'ercast,
Before that it be e'en.

Ilk thing is in its season sweet;

So love is in its noon:

But cankering time may soil the flower,
And spoil its bonnie bloom.

Oh, come then, while the summer shines,
And love is young and gay;
Ere age his withering, wintry blast
Blaws o'er me and my May.

For thee I'll tend the fleecy flocks,
Or haud the halesome plough;
And nightly clasp thee to my breast,
And prove aye leal and true.

The blush o'erspread her bonnie face,
She had nae mair to say,
But ga'e her hand and walk'd alang,
The youthfu', bloomin' May.

THE BANKS OF TARF.

TUNE-"Sin' my Uncle's dead."

WHERE windin' Tarf, by broomy knowes
Wi' siller waves to saut sea rows;
And mony a greenwood cluster grows,
And harebells bloomin' bonnie, O!
Below a spreadin' hazel lea,
Fu' snugly hid whare nane could see,
While blinkin' love beam'd frae her ee,
I met my bonnie Annie, O!

Her neck was o' the snaw-drap hue,
Her lips, like roses, wet wi' dew;
But, O! her ee, o' azure blue,
Was past expression bonnie, O!
Like threads o' gowd her flowin' hair,
That lightly wanton'd wi' the air;
But vain were a' my rhymin' ware
To tell the charms o' Annie, O!
While smilin' in my arms she lay,
She whisperin' in my ear did say,
"Oh, how could I survive the day,
Should you prove fause, my Tammie, O?"
"While spangled fish glide to the main,
While Scotlan's braes shall wave wi' grain,
Till this fond heart shall break wi' pain,
I'll aye be true to Annie, O!"

The Beltan winds blew loud and lang,
And ripplin' raised the spray alang;
We cheerfu' sat, and cheerfu' sang,
The banks of Tarf are bonnie, O!
Though sweet is spring, whan young and gay,
And blythe the blinks o' summer day;
I fear nae winter cauld and blae,
If blest wi' love and Annie, O!

CLEMENTINA STIRLING GRAHAM.

CLEMENTINA STIRLING GRAHAM was born in May 1782. Her father, Patrick Stirling, Esq. of Pittendreich, Forfarshire, married, on the 18th April 1781, Amelia Graham, daughter and co-heiress of Alexander Graham, Esq. of Duntrune, when he assumed the surname and arms of Graham. The family of Graham of Duntrune is descended from the Grahams of Fintry and Claverhouse. On the death of John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, without surviving issue, his brother David succeeded him in the representation of the family. On the death of this gentleman, without issue, David Graham of Duntrune became the family representative. That dignity is now enjoyed by the subject of this sketch. In her youth Miss Stirling Graham was celebrated for her amusing personations; some of these she has related in a volume entitled "Mystifications," published in 1864, under the editorial care of Dr John

The songs which follow, Miss Graham has kindly contributed to the present work. She succeeded to the family estate of Duntrune in 1844.

ALEXANDER RODGER.

ALEXANDER RODGER was born on the 16th July 1784, at East Calder, Midlothian. His father, originally a farmer, was lessee of the village inn; he subsequently removed to Edinburgh, and latterly emigrated to Hamburg. Alexander was apprenticed, in his twelfth year, to a silversmith in Edinburgh. On his father leaving the country in 1797, he joined his maternal relatives in Glasgow, who persuaded him to adopt the trade of a weaver. He married in his twenty-second year; and contrived to add to the family finances by cultivating a taste for music, and giving lessons in the art. Extreme in his political opinions, he was led, in 1819, to afford his literary support to a journal originated with the design of promoting disaffection and revolt. The connection was attended with serious consequences; he was convicted of revolutionary practices, and sent to prison. On his release from confinement he was received into the Barrowfield Works as an inspector of cloths used for printing and dyeing. He held this office during eleven years; he subsequently acted as a pawnbroker, and a reporter of local intelligence to two different newspapers. In 1836 he became assistant in the publishing office of the Reformers' Gazette, a situation which he held till his death. This event took place on the 26th September 1846.

Rodger published two small collections of verses, and a volume of "Poems and Songs." Many of his poems, though abounding in humour, are disfigured by coarse political allusions. Several of his songs are of a high order, and have deservedly become popular. He was less the poet of external nature than of the domestic affections; and, himself possessed of a lively sympathy with the humbler classes, he took delight in celebrating the simple joys of the peasant's hearth. A master of the pathetic, his muse sometimes assumes a sportive gaiety, when the laugh is irresistible. Among a wide circle he was held in estimation; he was fond of society, and took pleasure in humorous conversation. In 1836, about two hundred of his fellow-citizens entertained him at a public festival, and handed him a small box of sovereigns; and some admiring friends, to mark their respect for his memory, have erected a handsome monument over his remains in the Necropolis of Glasgow.