Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 1.djvu/320

 In 1810 Mr Boswell published a small volume under the title, "Edinburgh, or the Ancient Royalty, a Sketch of former Manners, by Simon Gray." It is a kind of city eclogue, in which a farmer, who knew the town in a past age, is supposed to converse regarding its modern changes, with a city friend. It contains some highly curious memorials of the simple manners which obtained in Edinburgh, before the change described in the song just quoted. At a subsequent period, Mr Boswell established a private printing-press at Auchinleck, from which he issued various trifles in prose and verse, some of which are characterised by much humour. In 1816, appeared a poetical tale, somewhat like Burns's "Tam o' Shanter," entitled, "Skeldon Haughs, or the Sow is Flitted!" being founded on a traditionary story regarding an Ayrshire feud of the fifteenth century. In 1821, Mr Boswell was honoured with, what had been the chief object of his ambition for many years, a baronetcy of Great Britain. About this period, politics ran very high in the country, and Sir Alexander, who had inherited all the Tory spirit of his father, sided warmly with the ministry. In