hess of Roxburghe.

The poet's social condition at Bowden was little favourable to the
composition of poetry. Situated on the south side of the Eildon hills,
the parish is entirely separated from the busy world, and the
inhabitants were formerly proverbial for their rustic simplicity and
ignorance. The encouragement desiderated at home, the poet, however,
experienced elsewhere. He visited Melrose, at the easy distance of two
miles, on the day of the weekly market, and there met with friends and
patrons from different parts of the district. The late Duke of
Roxburghe, Sir Walter Scott, Mr Baillie of Jerviswoode, Mr John Gibson
Lockhart, and Mr G. P. R. James, the novelist, who sometimes resided in
the neighbourhood, and other persons of rank or literary eminence,
extended towards him countenance and assistance.

Scott shared the indigent lot of poets. He remained in the condition of
an agricultural labourer, and for many years held the office of beadle,
or church-officer, of the parish. He died on the 22d of May 1839, in the
eighty-second year of his age; and his remains were interred in the
churchyard of Bowden, where his name is inscribed on a gravestone which
he had erected to the memory of his wife. His eldest son holds the
office of schoolmaster of that parish.

The personal appearance of the bard appears to have been prepossessing:
his countenance wore a highly intellectual aspect. Subsequent to the
publication of the first volume of his poems, he was requested to sit
for his portrait by the late Mr George Watson, the well-known
portrait-painter; and who was so well satisfied with the excellence of
his subject, that he exhibited the portrait for a lengthened period in
his studio. It is now in the possession of the author's son at Bowden,
and has been pronounced a masterpiece of art. A badly executed engraving
from it is prefixed to Scott's last two volumes. In manner, the poet was
modest and unassuming, and his utterance was slow and defective. The
songs selected for this work may be regarded as the most favourable
specimens of his muse.[71]

[71] We have to acknowledge our obligations for several particulars of
this sketch to Mr Robert Bower, Melrose, the author of a volume of
"Ballads and Lyrics," published at Edinburgh in 1853.

RURAL CONTENT; OR, THE MUIRLAND FARMER.

AIR--_"The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow."_

I 'm now a guid farmer, I 've acres o' land,
And my heart aye loups light