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

Xll.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF
added little to his purse, a variety of circumstances having
conspired to render it profitless to the Poet in a pecuniary
point of view. In 1837> he prepared a second volume, in¬
cluding the principal portion of the pieces in the former
publication, with considerable additions. This volume was
published by Mr David Robertson, now bookseller to her
Majesty in Glasgow,—a gentleman who has ever shown a
disposition to encourage genius, and whose kindness, in
many respects, to our Poet, will not only secure the esteem
of Rodger’s friends, but we are sure will ever form a sub¬
ject of grateful recollection to himself. In conjunc¬
tion with this gentleman, Rodger superintended the pub¬
lication of “ Whistle-Binkieand contributed several
pieces to the “ Laird of Logan.”
The portrait of Mr Rodger, which forms the frontis¬
piece of this volume, is done from an excellent likeness, by
Dan. MfNee, Esq., R. A., in connection with which we may
mention a circumstance that tends to show the correctness
of the portrait. After it had been presented to Mr Rodger
by his friend, the artist, Mrs Rodger, accompanied
by her husband, called one day at the shop of Mr
Robertson, where it remained some time for inspection.
Mrs Rodger carried one of her children (twenty-two
months old) in her arms, who, without the least attempt
being made to attract its attention to the portrait, after
gazing on the various objects in the shop, fixed its eyes
intently on the picture for a few seconds, and then ex¬
claimed, in an ecstacy of delight, “ 0, my daddy, my daddy !”
The Subscribers to this volume must forgive the desul¬
tory nature of this sketch. The Committee first proposed
to press on the Poet the execution of an autobiography;
but this his natural modesty prevented him from doing.
They had therefore to narrate the facts in their own lan¬
guage, as the circumstances came to their knowledge ; and
crude as the sketch is, they hope it will not be found alto¬
gether uninteresting.
Before concluding, however, they may be allowed to