of
four years. In 1819 he commenced business with a partner as an
ironmonger in Kirkcaldy, and for a considerable time was prosperous in
merchandise. His spare hours were devoted to literature, more especially
to classical learning and the acquisition of the modern languages. He
was latterly familiar with all the languages of Europe. He contributed
both in prose and verse to the _Edinburgh Literary Journal_, and other
periodicals. A series of misfortunes led to his renouncing business, and
in 1838 he accepted the editorship of the _Fife Herald_ newspaper, when
he removed his residence to Cupar-Fife. He died at Cupar, after a
lingering illness, on the 22d May 1839. His "Poetical Remains," with a
memoir from the pen of the poet Vedder, were published a few months
after his decease. Though not entitled to a high rank, his poetry is
pervaded by gracefulness, and some of his lyrics evince considerable
power.

OH, I LO'ED MY LASSIE WEEL.

Oh, I lo'ed my lassie weel,
How weel I canna tell;
Lang, lang ere ithers trow'd,
Lang ere I wist mysel'.
At the school amang the lave,
If I wrestled or I ran,
I cared na' for the prize,
If she saw me when I wan.

Oh, I lo'ed my lassie weel,
When thae gleesome days were gane;
'Mang a' the bonnie an' the gude,
To match her saw I nane.
Though the cauld warl' o'er me cam,
Wi' its cumber an' its toil,
My day-tide dool was a' forgot,
In her blithe e'enin' smile.

Oh, I lo'ed, nor lo'ed in vain;
An' though mony cam to woo,
Wha to won her wad been fain,
Yet to me she aye was true.
She grat wi' very joy
When our waddin' day was set;
An' though twal' gude years sinsyne hae fled,
She 's my darling lassie yet.

JAMES HISLOP.

James Hislop, a short-lived poet of considerable promise, was born of
humble parents in the parish of Kirkconnel, Dumfriesshire, in July 1798.
Under the care of his grandfather, a country weaver, and a man of piety
and worth, he taught himself to read. When little more than a child, he
became a cow-herd on the farm of Dalblair, in the neighbourhood of his
birth-place. About the age of thirteen, he obtained a year's schooling,
which was nearly the whole amount of his regular education. He had
already read many books on the hillside. In his fourteenth year, he
became a shepherd and tended his first flock at Boghead, parish of
Auch