His family moved to another seaport town, Greenock, a little farther north in western Scotland when he was ten years old. From this port his father expanded his mercantile business, which included trading with Jamaica. Although bookish, and displaying ability in writing couplets from age six, Galt was taught subjects considered useful in business, including math, astronomy, penmanship, English, and French.
At a young age he was apprenticed in business. He worked as a clerk in Greenock between 1795 and 1804, first at the customshouse and later in another commercial enterprise. At age 25, in 1804, Galt moved to London to enter the business world. His first partnership with another young man failed after he discovered his partner was bankrupt. His next business venture with his brother, Tom, lasted a short time before his brother left for Honduras. Although several of his business ventures during his first five years in London were unsuccessful, it was at this time Galt began his writing career. In 1804 he published The Battle of Largs: A Gothic Epic, with Several Miscellaneous Pieces and wrote numerous articles on a range of subjects for the Greenock Advertiser and the Scots Magazine. Other early works included publications in the newspaper the Star, and an article entitled, "Statistical Account of Upper Canada," published in October of 1807 in Philosophical Magazine.
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