ters, commenced his education at the parish school of Lilliesleaf, in the sixth year of his age, under the tuition of a Mr Stewart, and afterwards prosecuted it with Mr Geo. Scott, Mr Stewart's successor, a man of considerable learning, and of respectable poetical talent. Young Knox continued at this school until about his fifteenth year, by which time he had not only become a good English scholar, but had also acquired a considerable knowledge of Latin. Although apparently not more studious than the other boys who attended the school, yet, from his natural aptitude for learning, he displayed, at an early period of life, an eminent superiority over his class-fellows. His school tasks never cost him much trouble. Possessed as he was of high intellectual endowments—of a mind keen, active, and susceptible of deep impressions -gifted with powers of acute observation and steady attention, knowledge was acquired without much labour or research; while at the same time he was endowed with a peculiarly retentive memory, which, though not always, is very frequently the accompaniment of genius. On leaving the parish school he was sent to the grammar school at Musselburgh, where, however, he remained only twelve months, during which time he continued to make satisfactory progress in the various branches of education taught in that seminary. After this he was placed in a writer's office for a few months; but it is not known what progress he made in a knowledge of law, or, indeed, whether he took any interest in its dry details. It may, however, be readily supposed that this could not

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be great, as he knew that he had not been placed at the desk in order to qualify himself to prosecute that study as a profession, but that this course had been adopted merely to give him a general knowledge of business. He was now called home to assist his father in the management of his farms.

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Though William Knox, at an early age, had courted the muses, and had written a number of songs and other poetical pieces, humorous and satirical, chiefly in the Scottish dialect," in his muturer years those effusions were destroyed, not being considered worthy of preservation; and all that now remains of them are only such portions as happen to be retained in the memory of those friends to whom he was accustomed to sing or recite them. It appears indeed that it was only after his return to Firth to assist his father that he regarded poetry as more than an amusement. He was now far enough advanced in life to be impressed with correct notions of the beauty and grandeur of nature; and, consequently, as his feelings expanded and his judgment improved, the poetical bent of his mind became more decided. Music, of which he had been passionately fond, and drawing, which he had cultivated a little, were now not only laid aside, but even the Scottish muse herself was deserted for the more elevated and refined walks of poetry.

Having procured a lease of the farm of Wrae, in the immediate vicinity of Langholm, he entered upon the occupation of it in 1812, and devoted his attention so steadily to husbandry, that he obtained the approbation of the intelligent agri

culturists in the district, who still mention the subject of this memoir as a man well fitted to excel as a farmer. But Knox ere long discovered that the expenditure of a capital which he did not possess was necessary to render the farm sufficiently productive; and, after a struggle for some years, during which he gradually lost all hope of pursuing agriculture as a profession, he, by degrees, relaxed in his attention to the farm, while literature, and more especially poetry, engaged his earnest attention.

By this time Knox was deeply read in the British poets, both ancient and modern, with many of whose writings he was even critically acquainted. He had not only read and remembered much, but had accurately weighed the beauties and defects of the authors' works which he perused, and especially those of poetry and romance; and, had his life been longer spared, it is not unlikely that he would have attained great eminence in his favourite pursuit of poetry.

It was while occupying the farm of Wrae, in the lovely vale of Ewes, that he, through his love of romantic scenery, was induced to pay a visit to the Keswick Lakes. We do not know what impressions were made upon the mind of Knox by the poets of that district during this visit to those romantic regions, though it may be conjectured they were not very strong, since, if we may judge by his own compositions, he does not appear to have become a disciple of the "Lake School."

Knox left his farm in Dumfriesshire in 1817 with perhaps few regrets, except such as arose from parting with friends and a locality where

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he was greatly esteemed. He had mingled much with the society of that district, and had made on his neighbours very favourable impressions, which have not yet faded away; for he is still remembered for his generosity as a man and for his worth as a friend. He was a frequent visitor in families both of his own and of a higher rank, and highly prized by all.

Not long previous to leaving the farm of Wrae, he composed the greater number of the pieces contained in his first work-" The Lonely Hearth and other Poems." He had by this time become a good critic, not only in poetry, but in other departments of English literature, and had exercised his talents in different styles of composition. Like most other young minds full of poetic enthusiasm, he frequently caught inspiration from the tone of the book which he happened to be perusing, and thus was often induced to attempt compositions after the author's manner. We believe that, about this time, he wrote a long poem, in the style of Campbell, entitled "The Influence of Love over the other Passions," and another, "The Father's Cottage," which were not published.

"The Lonely Hearth," &c., was printed at North Shields in 1818. This little volume can scarcely be said to have been published, for no pains were ever taken to bring it into notice. The author had gone on a visit to his brotherin-law, the late Rev. John Cochrane, Presbyterian minister at North Shields, and afterwards minister of the parish of Hawick, Roxburghshire, and there set about the publication of the work; but with the printing of

the volume the matter of publication in a great measure terminated.

About this period Knox was introduced to Sir Walter Scott. With Professor Wilson of Edinburgh he had been acquainted some years previously. Both of these extraordinarily gifted men had a high opinion of him as a man and as a poet. The estimation in which he was held by the "Author of Waverley," more especially, was evinced by the interest which that illustrious individual took in his welfare, and the friendship which he manifested towards him after his first introduction. The prepossessing modesty, fascinating conversational powers, and general literary information possessed by Knox, failed not, on further intercourse, to secure the hold upon the esteem of those distinguished men which he had already gained.

In the year 1820, Knox came to reside in Edinburgh; and from that period until shortly before his death, many small pieces from his pen, both in prose and in verse, appeared in various periodicals. He was a frequent contributor to the "Literary Gazette."

He was the author of a Christmas tale entitled "Marianne, or the Widower's Daughter," and also of "A Visit to Dublin."

About the beginning of the year 1823 he paid a visit to his brother, Walter, in Ireland, and there he remained for about twelve months. During his visit there he composed the "Songs of Israel," which were published a short time after his return to Edinburgh in 1824. His next and last publication was the "Harp of Zion," published in April 1825, and written only a few