William Stirling of Keir, parliamentary representative of the county of
Perth, was born on the 8th March 1818, in the mansion of Kenmure, in the
vicinity of Glasgow. The only son of the late Archibald Stirling of
Keir, his paternal ancestors, for a course of centuries, have been
extensive landowners in the counties of Lanark and Perth. The
representative of the house, Sir George Stirling, was a conspicuous
supporter of the famous Marquis of Montrose. On the side of his mother,
who was a daughter of Sir John Maxwell, Bart., of Polloc, he is
descended from a family who adhered to the Covenant and the Revolution
of 1688.
Mr Stirling took the degrees of B.A. and M.A. at Trinity College,
Cambridge. To literary pursuits ardently devoted from his youth, he
afforded the first indication of his peculiar tastes in a small poetical
_brochure_. "The Songs of the Holy Land," composed chiefly during a
visit to Palestine, were printed for private circulation in 1846, but
were published with considerable additions in a handsome octavo volume
in 1848. Two specimens of these sacred lays are inserted in the present
work with the author's permission.
During a residence in Spain, Mr Stirling was led to direct his attention
to the state of the Fine Arts in that country; and in 1848 he produced a
work of much research and learning, entitled "Annals of the Artists of
Spain," in three volumes octavo. In 1852 appeared "The Cloister Life of
the Emperor Charles V.," which has already passed through several
editions, and has largely increased the reputation of the writer. His
latest publication, "Velasquez and his Works" was published in 1855.
In 1852 Mr Stirling was elected, without opposition, member of
Parliament for the county of Perth, and was again returned at the
general election in April 1857. Recently he has evinced a deep interest
in the literary improvement of the industrial population, by delivering
lectures to the district Mechanics' Institutions.