ROBERT BURNS.  B. 1759.  D. 1796.

ALEXANDER, FOURTH DUKE OF GORDON.  B. 1743.  D. 1827. Cauld Kail in
Aberdeen.

ALEXANDER WILSON of Paisley, who latterly distinguished himself as an
American ornithologist.  B. 1766.  D. 1813. Watty and Meg.

HECTOR MACNEILL.  B. 1746.  D. 1818. Will and Jean.

ROBERT TANNAHILL.  B. 1774.  D. 1810. Songs.

JAMES HOGG.  B. 1772.  D. 1835.

ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.  B. 1784.  D. 1842.

To this list we must add the names of Lady Nairne and Lady Anne Lindsay.  To the former we are indebted for “The Land o’ the Leal,” “The Laird o’ Cockpen,” and “The Auld Hoose;” to the latter for “Auld Robin Gray:”  and our wonder is, how those who could write so charmingly should have written so little.

I have no intention of discussing the general question of Scottish poetry—­of defending or eulogising, or of apologising for anything belonging to it.  There are songs in broad Scottish dialect of which the beauty and the power will never be lost.  Words of Burns, Allan Ramsay, and Lady Nairne, must ever speak to hearts that are true to nature.  I am desirous of bringing before my readers at this time the name of a Scottish poet, which, though in Mr. Laing’s list, I fear is become rather a reminiscence.  It is fifty years since his poetical pieces were published in a collected form.  I am desirous of giving a special notice of a true-hearted Scotsman, and a genuine Scottish poet, under both characters.  I look with a tender regard to the memory of the Rev. JOHN SKINNER of Langside.  He has written little in quantity, but it is all charming.  He was a good Christian minister.  He was a man of learning—­a man of liberal and generous feeling.  In addition to all this, he has upon me the claim of having been a Scottish Episcopalian divine, and I am always rejoiced to see among learned men of our church sympathies with liberalism, besides what is patristic and theological.  John Skinner’s name and family are much mixed up with our church.  ‘Tullochgorum’ was father of Primus John Skinner, and grandfather of Primus W. Skinner and of the Rev. John Skinner of Forfar.  The youngest brother of Tullochgorum was James Skinner, W.S., who died at ninety-one, and was grandfather of W. Skinner, W.S., Edinburgh.  The Rev. J. Skinner was born in Birse, a wild part of Aberdeenshire, 1721.  His father was parochial schoolmaster at Gight for nearly fifty years.  He worked hard under the care of his father, who was a good Latin scholar.  He gained a bursary at Aberdeen, where he studied.  When he left college he became schoolmaster at Monymusk, where he wrote some pieces that attracted attention, and Sir Archibald Grant took him into the house, and allowed him the full use of a very fine library.  He made good use of this opportunity, and indeed became a fair scholar and theologian.  Skinner had been brought up a Presbyterian, but at Monymusk found reasons