d
from his pen. In 1803, shortly after the appearance of his songs, he
published a ballad entitled "The Spirit of Tintoc; or, Johnnie Bell and
the Kelpie," with notes, 16 pp. 8vo: Mundell and Son, Edinburgh. This
performance, in which are humorously related the adventures of a drunken
tailor with the brownies and other denizens of the unseen world, on the
summit of Tintoc Hill, was followed in 1810 by another amusing poem,
bearing the title of "Edinburgh, or the Ancient Royalty, a Sketch of
Former Manners, with Notes by Simon Gray." In this poem, the changes
which had occurred in the habits of the citizens of Edinburgh are
pourtrayed in a colloquy between an old farmer and his city friend. In
1811 appeared "Clan-Alpin's Vow, a Fragment," with the author's name
prefixed. This production, founded upon a horrible tragedy connected
with the history of the Clan Macgregor, proved one of the most popular
of the author's works; it was reprinted in 1817, by Bentley and Son,
London. His future publications may be simply enumerated; they were
generally issued from a printing press which he established in the
mansion of Auchinleck. In 1812 he printed, for private circulation, a
poetical fragment entitled "Sir Albon," intended to burlesque the
peculiar style and rhythm of Sir Walter Scott; in 1815, "The Tyrant's
Fall," a poem on the battle of Waterloo; in 1816, "Skeldon Haughs, or
the Sow is Flitted," a tale in verse founded on an old Ayrshire
tradition; and in the same year another poetical tale, after the manner
of Allan Ramsay's "Monk and Miller's Wife," entitled, "The Woo'-creel,
or the Bull o' Bashun." From his printing office at Auchinleck, besides
his poetical tales and pasquinades, he issued many curious and
interesting works, chiefly reprints of scarce tracts on different
subjects, preserved in the Auchinleck Library. Of these the most
remarkable was the disputation between John Knox and Quentin Kennedy, at
Maybole, in 1562, of which the only copy then known to exist was
deposited in his paternal library.[98]

Amidst his devotedness to the pursuits of elegant literature, Mr Boswell
bestowed much attention on public affairs. He was M.P. for the county of
Ayr; and though silent in the House of Commons, was otherwise
indefatigable in maintaining his political sentiments. He supported
strict conservative principles, and was not without the apprehension of
civil disturbance through the impetuosity of the advocates of reform. As