Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 7.djvu/225

Rh their festivities, and it was there that these learned Doctors, in rivulets of Burton ale, not unfrequently quaffed libations to their favourite deity, until the clock informed them of the approaching day."

His constitution at length broke down, and he took a sea-voyage to the place of his nativity for the recovery of his health, but died of dropsy, at his father's house, near Musselburgh, August 13, 1786, aged forty-four.

TANNAHILL,, a very popular writer of Scottish songs, was born in Paisley on the 3rd of June, 1774. He was the son of James Tannahill, a weaver of silk gauze there, who originally came from Kilmarnock, and Janet Pollock, the daughter of a farmer near Beith. Both parents were much respected for their intelligence and worth; the mother, in particular, was a woman of very general information, and exemplary conduct in life. Their family consisted of six sons and one daughter; Robert being the fourth child. At his birth, one of his legs was deformed, the foot being considerably bent, and the leg smaller than the other. During his boyhood, he was much ashamed of his crooked foot, and took every opportunity, when alone, to try and straighten it with his hand. In this manner, by constant application, he brought it into a proper position; but the leg always continued smaller than its fellow, and, to hide this deformity, he generally wore upon it two or more pairs of stockings. The deception succeeded so well, that few of his companions knew that the one leg differed from the other; nor did he suffer much inconvenience from it, being able to join in the dance, or afternoon excursion, without betraying any lameness, although in long journeys it generally failed him. When at school, he began to distinguish himself by writing verses. These were generally upon some odd character about the place, or upon any unusual circumstance that might occur. After school-hours, it was customary for the boys to put riddles to each other, or, as they called it, to " speer guesses." Robert usually gave his in rhyme; and a schoolfellow, to whom we are indebted for some of the particulars of this memoir, remembers one of them to this day. It was as follows:—

This riddle, on being solved, turned out to allude to the big, brown, unshapely nose of a well-known character, who took large quantities of snuff.

From the school, where he was taught to read, write, and cast accounts, Tannahill was sent to the loom. About this time, the weaving of cotton was introduced into Paisley; and the high wages realized by it, induced parents to teach their children the trade at an early age, so that their apprenticeships were generally finished by the time they reached fifteen or sixteen. The flow of money, which persons thus so young could command by the exercise of a flourishing handicraft, led to the early marriages for which Paisley was then noted; and no town at the time abounded in more merrymakings, or presented a more gay and thriving community. Education was widely diffused amongst the inhabitants, who were remarkable for the intelligent and active interest they took in public affairs. The weaving population could always afford a weekly half-holiday for cultivating their gardens or rambling into the country. Tannahill participated in the general prosperity. Dancing parties and rural excursions were frequent