Thomas Aird
Encyclopedia
Thomas Aird Scottish
poet
, was born at Bowden
, Roxburghshire
.
Aird was educated at the University of Edinburgh
, where he met John Wilson
, Thomas Carlyle
and James Hogg
, as well as other men of letters. Under their influence, he decided to devote himself to literary work. He published Martzoufle, a Tragedy, with other Poems (1826), a volume of essays, and a long narrative poem in several cantos, The Captive of Fez (1830).
For a year Aird edited the Edinburgh Weekly Journal, and for twenty-eight years the Dumfriesshire
and Galloway
Herald. He also contributed to Blackwood's Magazine
. In 1848 he published a collected edition of his poems, which met with much favor. Carlyle said that he found in them "a healthy breath as of mountain breezes." His chief poem is The Captive of Fez.
In prose Aird wrote Religious Characteristics, and The Old Bachelor in the Old Scottish Village (1848). Among Aird's other friends were De Quincey
, Lockhart
, Stanley
(afterwards dean of Westminster) and Motherwell
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, was born at Bowden
Bowden
-Places:Australia:* Bowden Island, one of the Family Islands in Queensland, Australia* Bowden, South Australia, a northwestern suburb of Adelaide, Australia** Bowden railway stationCanada:* Bowden, Alberta, a town in central Alberta, CanadaEngland:...
, Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
.
Aird was educated at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, where he met John Wilson
John Wilson (Scottish writer)
John Wilson of Ellerey FRSE was a Scottish advocate, literary critic and author, the writer most frequently identified with the pseudonym Christopher North of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine....
, Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during the Victorian era.He called economics "the dismal science", wrote articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and became a controversial social commentator.Coming from a strict Calvinist family, Carlyle was...
and James Hogg
James Hogg
James Hogg was a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote in both Scots and English.-Early life:James Hogg was born in a small farm near Ettrick, Scotland in 1770 and was baptized there on 9 December, his actual date of birth having never been recorded...
, as well as other men of letters. Under their influence, he decided to devote himself to literary work. He published Martzoufle, a Tragedy, with other Poems (1826), a volume of essays, and a long narrative poem in several cantos, The Captive of Fez (1830).
For a year Aird edited the Edinburgh Weekly Journal, and for twenty-eight years the Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
and Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
Herald. He also contributed to Blackwood's Magazine
Blackwood's Magazine
Blackwood's Magazine was a British magazine and miscellany printed between 1817 and 1980. It was founded by the publisher William Blackwood and was originally called the Edinburgh Monthly Magazine. The first number appeared in April 1817 under the editorship of Thomas Pringle and James Cleghorn...
. In 1848 he published a collected edition of his poems, which met with much favor. Carlyle said that he found in them "a healthy breath as of mountain breezes." His chief poem is The Captive of Fez.
In prose Aird wrote Religious Characteristics, and The Old Bachelor in the Old Scottish Village (1848). Among Aird's other friends were De Quincey
Thomas de Quincey
Thomas Penson de Quincey was an English esssayist, best known for his Confessions of an English Opium-Eater .-Child and student:...
, Lockhart
John Gibson Lockhart
John Gibson Lockhart , was a Scottish writer and editor. He is best known as the author of the definitive "Life" of Sir Walter Scott...
, Stanley
Arthur Penrhyn Stanley
Arthur Penrhyn Stanley was an English churchman, Dean of Westminster, known as Dean Stanley. His position was that of a Broad Churchman and he was the author of works on Church History.-Life and times:...
(afterwards dean of Westminster) and Motherwell
William Motherwell
William Motherwell , Scottish poet, antiquary and journalist, was born at Glasgow, the son of an ironmonger....
.
See also
- Scottish literatureScottish literatureScottish literature is literature written in Scotland or by Scottish writers. It includes literature written in English, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Brythonic, French, Latin and any other language in which a piece of literature was ever written within the boundaries of modern Scotland.The earliest...