Alexander Ross (13 April 169920 May 1784) was a Scottish poet.

Biography

Alexander Ross was born to a farming family at Torphins in Aberdeenshire. He was educated at Marischal College,

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

and worked as private tutor for the children of Sir William Forbes of Craigievar. In 1732 he became a headmaster in Lochlee, Angus, where he would live until his death in 1784. He had been in the habit of writing verse for his own amusement when, in 1768, at the suggestion of James Beattie, he published ''Helenore, or the Fortunate Shepherdess''. A memorial was erected in his honour in the old churchyard of Angus Glen where he is buried.

Reputation

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

praised Alexander Ross, writing "There is I know not what of wild happiness of thought and expression peculiarly beautiful in the old Scottish song style, of which his Grace, old venerable

Skinner Skinner may refer to: People and fictional characters *Skinner (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with that surname * Skinner (profession), a person who makes a living by working with animal skins or driving mules *Skinner, a rin ...

, the author of Tullochgorum etc., and the late Ross at Lochlee, of true Scottish poetic memory, are the only modern instances that I recollect, since Ramsay, with his contemporaries, and poor Bob Fergusson, went to the world of deathless existence and truly immortal song."Robert Burns Country: The Burns Encyclopedia: Ross, Alexander (16991784)
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References

External links

''Helenore'' at Archive.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Alexander 1699 births 1784 deaths 18th-century Scottish people Scottish literature Scottish poets Scots-language poets