RIDDELLS OF TIVIOTDALE, SCOTLAND.
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So rapt the charm that still beguiled
The minstrel of the mountain wild."
He used to carry his scraps of poetry in his hat, and after a time, un-
like most young authors, he got a publisher unsought for. A wind swept
his hat away and scattered his poetic productions far over hill and dale,
like a flock of wild fowl. He recovered a few of these, but others fell
into strange hands and created no little excitement in the neighborhood,
procuring for him a popularity that never died out. So strong were the
pressings of the muse, that he could not sleep, and frequently arose to
note down the thoughts that seemed to come unsought, while all others
were sound asleep. He prepared himself for college, and after the death
of his father, having accumulated considerable means from his employ-
ment as shepherd and his portion of the parental patrimony, he went to
Edinburgh and entered the university there. He proved a good scholar,
but did not apply himself to his studies with that diligence that was ex-
ercised by some, in consequence of spending much of his time in compo-
sition. After some time spent in study at St. Andrew's, he returned to
the university at Edinburgh and completed his course. After becoming
a probationer he was called to the pastoral charge of a church in the dis-
trict, and for a time laid aside the pursuit of romantic literature. In con-
sequence of there being no house provided for the preacher, he was under
the necessity of traveling nine miles to the place of his professional ser-
vices, and frequently, in bad weather, preached in a very uncomfortable
condition, with the wet pouring from his sleeves upon the Bible before
him, and upon the carpet at his feet. But the Duke of Buccleuch built
a dwelling-house for him, which he occupied through the remainder of
his life. About this time Mr. Riddell fell into a melancholy state, which
terminated in insanity, and he was, of course, unable to attend to pastoral
duties for a series of years. Another minister had succeeded him, and on
his recovery he did not interfere with the new ecclesiastical arrangement;
his procedure was generously approved by the Duke of Buccleuch, who
conferred upon him the cottage at Tiviothead, a grant of land, and a small
annuity.
Mr. Riddell had formed the acquaintance of a lady of refinement and
position, Miss Eliza Clark, when a poor shepherd-lad, and the affection
bestowed by him was reciprocated; but he was too independent to ask
or receive her hand in marriage, until he had acquired an education, and
during all his college years she remained true to her first love, refusing
wealth and high standing in life, and braving the risk of embracing com-
parative poverty. But when he had obtained a settlement at Tiviothead,
he made his own by marriage her who had in heart been his during the
long time he was in study. She was everything that could be looked for
in the wife and mother; and during the time of his indisposition she
proved a most constant and devoted companion. Mr. Riddell spent his re-
maining days in comfort at his pretty cottage-home, devoting his time to
reading, lecturing, and literature. He was highly esteemed by all, and his
home was visited by the most distinguished men of his day. My space
will not admit of a more extended notice of this good man, and I must re-
fer the reader to his complete poetical works, in which a full autobiogra-
phy, beautifully written, may be found. He died at his home at Tiviothead
Cottage, in 1870, leaving a widow and two sons to lament his death. His
widow died on the 29th of May, 1875, and now that they are dead, "the
