Itttrro fa ttetitar.
THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD'S FAMILY.
.Forfar, 27th October 1853. Sin—Every one who thinks upon the subject will agree in the opinion ex- pressed in the last number of the Spectator, that the case of the widow and family of the Ettrick Shepherd has been inadvertently passed over, in the distribution of the Royal patronage. James Hogg was not only a brilliant poet, but one of the kindest of men. His production of the "Queen's Wake," and the other pieces mentioned in the Reverend Mr. Marshall's let- ter, raise Hogg to a high eminence among the bards of Scotland ; but there is one point of his character which has not been noticed : I allude to his amor patrice. His lyrics, about the beginning of the present century, did much for the encouragement of the spirit of loyalty and patriotism which then existed throughout the kingdom. At that time, every district of Scot- land had its corps of yeomanry and regiment of volunteers; and in my school- boy days, I have seen, at one time, two regiments of infantry volunteers, one from the Lowlands of Perthshire, and another from the hills and glens of Athol and Breadalbane, at drill on the Inch of Perth at the same time. The latter regiment was composed of the finest men that could be found in any country ; fresh from their native hills; from twenty-one to thirty years of age ; and fully equipped in the Highland garb. The poetry of Hogg did much to increase this spirit of loyalty. The Shepherd's songs, which I have seen printed in the broadside shape of ballads, were in the hands of every one. His "Bonaparte o'er the sea," and "My name is Donald Mac Do- nald," are still fresh in the memory of many. The Highlanders used to listen with avidity to the strains of Hogg's poetry, even when sung by the poorest minstrel; and their eyes used to kindle at the lines "When ranked among the blue bonnets," &c.
James Hogg died, it is understood, in circumstances by no means affluent ; and his widow and three daughters survive him. The benevolence of our good Queen is well known ; and Lord Aberdeen (himself a good Scotchman) would do a deed not only gratifying to his own mind, but pleasing to Scot- land, and to the country in general, were he to bring this subject under the
eye of her Majesty, or her Royal Consort. C.
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