in 1836, just before his death, the author added a fifth.
The latest edition was published by subscription, in an elegant
duodecimo volume.

In 1780, in the pages of Ruddiman's _Weekly Magazine_, Mayne published a
short poem on "Halloween," which suggested Burns's celebrated poem on
the same subject. In 1781, he published at Glasgow his song of "Logan
Braes," of which Burns afterwards composed a new version.

In London, Mayne was first employed as printer, and subsequently became
joint-editor and proprietor, along with Dr Tilloch, of the _Star_
evening newspaper. With this journal he retained a connexion till his
death, which took place at London on the 14th of March 1836.

Besides the humorous and descriptive poem of "The Siller Gun," which, in
the opinion of Sir Walter Scott, surpasses the efforts of Ferguson, and
comes near to those of Burns,[21] Mayne published another epic
production, entitled "Glasgow," which appeared in 1803, and has passed
through several editions. In the same year he published "English, Scots,
and Irishmen," a chivalrous address to the population of the three
kingdoms. To the literary journals, his contributions, both in prose and
verse, were numerous and interesting. Many of his songs and ballads
enriched the columns of the journal which he so long and ably conducted.
In early life, he maintained a metrical correspondence with Thomas
Telford, the celebrated engineer, who was a native of the same county,
and whose earliest ambition was to earn the reputation of a poet.[22]

Possessed of entire amiability of disposition, and the utmost amenity of
manners, John Mayne was warmly beloved among the circle of his friends.
Himself embued with a deep sense of religion, though fond of innocent
humour, he preserved in all his writings a becoming respect for sound
morals, and is entitled to the commendation which a biographer has
awarded him, of having never committed to paper a single line "the
tendency of which was not to afford innocent amusement, or to improve
and increase the happiness of mankind." He was singularly modest and
even retiring. His eulogy has been pronounced by Allan Cunningham, who
knew him well, that "a better or warmer-hearted man never existed." The
songs, of which we have selected the more popular, abound in vigour of
expression and sentiment, and are pervaded by a genuine pathos.

[21] See Note to "Lady of the Lake."

[22] See the _Encyclopaedia Britannica_, vol. xxi. p. 1