d the Shanter farm, which, with the assistance of
his father-in-law, he stocked and furnished. But fortune went against
him:

"His cattle died, and blighted was his corn;"

and an unfortunate friend, for whom he had become security for
150_l._, failed. Under such a load of ill, he, like many others,
sought for consolation in the "yill cups;" and any errand which served
as a pretext to visit the town of Ayr, renewed his worship to the
"inspiring, bold John Barleycorn;" and he usually returned, like the
Laird of Snotterston,

"O'er a' the ills o' life victorious."

But Thomas had many a domestic squabble. His wife, naturally not of the
sweetest temper, was doubly soured by the misfortunes of the world, and
the dissipation of her helpmate; and often when Tam

"Was gettin' fu' and unco happy,"

she sat at home,

"Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm."

She, like too many in that district at that time, was very
superstitious. Thomas took her by the weak side, and usually arrested
her "light-horse gallop of clish ma-claver" by some specious story of
ghost or hobgoblin adventures, with which he had been detained.

He had now got into such a continued state of dissipation and
irregularity, that he was obliged to leave the farm to the mercy of his
creditors, and opened a small public-house, at the end of the old bridge
on the water of Doon. It was while he was here that Tam O'Shanter made
its appearance. A manuscript copy was sent to Thomas, by post, with this
motto--

Change the name, and the
Story may be told of yourself.

The celebrity of the poem brought numbers to his house, and he sold a
great deal. But his spirit could not brook the brutal taunts and jeers
which every day he was obliged to bear from his customers. He left off
business, and commenced labourer, at which he continued till he got an
offer of a situation as overseer of hedges, on the large estate of
Castle Semple, at that time belonging to William M'Dowall, Esq., M.P.
for Renfrewshire, which he accepted. With short intervals, he remained
there till the day of his death. He was of such a character, that he
considered no man, or class of men, his superior, and no man his
inferior.

Feeling the infirmities of old age approach, Mr. Harvey placed him at
his west gate, as gate-keeper, where he fell into a lingering disease,
which soon put a period to his mortal career. As he had no frien