George Donald the younger was born on the 1st of March 1826, at
Thornliebank, near Glasgow. His father, George Donald the elder, is
noticed in an earlier part of the present volume. Sent to labour in a
calico print-work in his tenth year, his education was chiefly obtained
at evening schools, and afterwards by self-application during the
intervals of toil. In his seventeenth year he became apprenticed to a
pattern-designer, and having fulfilled his indenture, he has since
prosecuted this occupation. From his youth a writer of verses, he has
contributed poetical compositions to the Glasgow _Examiner_ and
_Citizen_ newspapers.