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

X.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF
ment of what was then, and is still, called “ Harvie’s Dyke,”
built upon the banks of the Clyde to stop up a public foot¬
path ; and by his exertions in writing in the public papers,
in searching out evidence, in promoting subscriptions,
concerts, exhibitions, &c., to raise funds for the purpose of
carrying on the lawsuit against Thomas Harvie, he was a
very useful instrument in bringing that long and protracted
struggle to a happy termination in favour of the public,
who thereby established their right to a public foot-path
along the banks of the Clyde. But Rodger was a poor
man, and his exertions were allowed to go unrewarded,
while some who had not been half so active or successful,
were rewarded with gold medals, struck for the purpose of
commemorating the triumph of the public over a purse-
proud aristocrat, who tried in vain to rob them of their
rights.
In 1832, one of his friends, who had begun business as a
pawnbroker, induced him to leave Monteith’s works, and
take the management of his business. But such an employ¬
ment was ill-suited to the feelings of such an individual as
Alexander Rodger; and at the expiration of nine or ten
months, he gave up that engagement, and was, through
the influence of his friend, Mr William Gardner, received
into the office of the Glasgow Chronicle newspaper,—then
conducted by Mr David Prentice,—as a reader and as¬
sistant reporter of local news. In this office he remained
about a year, when he got a charge in the “ Liberator,”
then under the management, as editor, of his valued
and lamented friend, John Tait. Here, while Tait lived,
the Poet was quite at home. He was in the midst
of kindred spirits—able, intelligent, and, withal, demo¬
cratic ; and he felt himself in a new element. He con¬
tinued to be connected with this paper, till, from the death
of Mr Tait, and the subsequent embarrassments of the con¬
cern, it ceased to exist. In the course of four or five
months after that event, he was engaged for a situation in
the Reformers’ Gazette office, which situation he stilj