Alexander Laing (1787-1857), Wayside Flowers (1846). Forgotten Books. Courtesy Goodreads.
Alexander Laing (14 May 1787 - 14 October 1857) was a Scottish poet, known as the "Brechin poet."
Life[]
Youth and education[]
Laing was born at Brechin, in Forfarshire (now Angus). His father was an agricultural worker.[1]
Laing spent only 2 winters at school, and when 8 years old became a herd; but he devoted much of his leisure to reading and writing.[1]
Career[]
At the age of 16 Laing was apprenticed to a flax-dresser, and followed this occupation for 14 years, when an accident permanently disabled him.[1] He afterwards earned a modest living as a pedlar.[2]
Laing contributed to local newspapers and to the following poetical miscellanies: Harp of Renfrewshire, 1819; R.A. Smith's Scottish Minstrel, 1820; Struthers's Harp of Caledonia, 1821; Whitelaw's Book of Scottish Song, 1844; and Whistle Binkie, 1832–47. He also furnished anecdotes to the Scottish story-book The Laird of Logan, 1835.[2]
In 1846 he published a collection of his poetry under the title Wayside Flowers, of which a 2nd edition appeared in 1850.[2]
Laing edited popular editions of Burns and Tannahill; and supplied various notes to Allan Cunningham's Scottish Songs, 1825, and biographical notices to the Angus Album, 1833.[2]
He died at Brechin.[2]
Writing[]
Laing writes vigorous and melodious lowland Scotch, and is both pathetic and humorous.[2]
Publications[]
Poetry[]
- Wayside Flowers: Poems and songs. Aberdeen: printed by J. Menzies, 1846, 1850; Glasgow: Blackie & Son, 1857; Edinburgh: W. Paterson, 1878.[3]
See also[]
References[]
Bayne, Thomas Wilson (1892) "Laing, Alexander (1787-1857)" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 31 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 398-399 . Wikisource, Web, Feb. 16, 2017.
Notes[]
External links[]
- Poems
- Books
- Wayside Flowers at Amazon.com
- About
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen & Sidney Lee). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Laing, Alexander (1787-1857)
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