Stray leaves from the portfolios of Alisander the seer, Andrew Whaup, and Humphrey Henkeckle

BRIEF SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR’S LIFE.
The life of Alexander Rodger—like most persons who
have to earn a subsistence for themselves and families—is
no way replete with incidents either marvellous or extra¬
ordinary. Yet his name is one which has excited no small
attention. His poetry has gained for it honours which
will descend to posterity; and as there is a natural desire
to learn something of the history of individuals whose
works have afforded us amusement and pleasure, the
following narrative of the life of the Author of these
“ Stray Leates ” will, we trust, be neither uninteresting
nor inappropriate:—
Alexander Rodger—the subject of this Memoir—
was born on the 16th July, 1784, at the village of East-
Calder, in the county of Mid-Lothian. At the time of his
birth, his father and grandfather—both named Alexander—
occupied the farm of Hags, near the small village of Dal-
mahoy. The young bard was weaned at the age of six
months, in consequence of the illness of his mother, from
whom he was taken and consigned to the charge of two
maiden sisters, of the name of Loni, with Tvliom he re-
h