James Hedderwick, proprietor and editor of the _Glasgow Citizen_, was
born at Glasgow on the 18th January 1814. His father, who bore the same
Christian name, was latterly Queen's printer in that city. At an early
age the subject of this sketch was put to the printing business in his
father's office. His tastes, however, being more literary than
mechanical, he gradually became dissatisfied with his position, and
occupied his leisure hours by contributing, in prose and verse, to
sundry periodicals. In his sixteenth year he spent some time in London,
in the course of which he attended the Rhetoric class of the London
University, and carried off the first prize. When little more than
twenty years of age, he obtained the situation of sub-editor of the
_Scotsman_ newspaper. He now applied himself assiduously to political
writing, but continued, at the same time, to seek recreation in those
lighter departments of literature which were more in accordance with his
personal tastes. Several of his poetical pieces, contributed to the
_Scotsman_, were copied into _Chambers' Edinburgh Journal_, and have
since frequently appeared in different periodicals. One of these,
entitled "First Grief," was lately quoted in terms of approbation by a
writer in _Fraser's Magazine_. Others have found their way, in an
anonymous shape, into a London publication entitled "Beautiful Poetry."
In 1842 Mr Hedderwick returned to his native city, and started the
_Glasgow Citizen_--a weekly newspaper which continues to maintain an
honourable position. Previous to leaving Edinburgh he was entertained at
a public dinner, attended by men of letters and other leading
individuals. The drudgery of newspaper life has left Mr Hedderwick
little leisure for contributions to polite literature. While in
Edinburgh, however, he wrote one number of "Wilson's Tales of the
Border," and has since contributed occasionally to other works. In 1844
he published a small collection of poems, but in too costly a form for
general circulation.