Allan Cunningham was born at Blackwood, in Nithside, Dumfriesshire, on
the 7th December 1784. Of his ancestry, some account has been given in
the memoir of his elder brother Thomas.[6] He was the fourth son of his
parents, and from both of them inherited shrewdness and strong
talent.[7] Receiving an ordinary elementary education at a school,
taught by an enthusiastic Cameronian, he was apprenticed in his eleventh
year to his eldest brother James as a stone-mason. His hours of leisure
were applied to mental improvement; he read diligently the considerable
collection of books possessed by his father, and listened to the
numerous legendary tales which his mother took delight in narrating at
the family hearth. A native love for verse-making, which he possessed in
common with his brother Thomas, was fostered and strengthened by his
being early brought into personal contact with the poet Burns. In 1790,
his father removed to Dalswinton, in the capacity of land-steward to Mr
Miller, the proprietor, and Burns' farm of Ellisland lay on the opposite
side of the Nith. The two families in consequence met very frequently;
and Allan, though a mere boy, was sufficiently sagacious to appreciate
the merits of the great bard. Though, at the period of Burns' death, in
1796, he was only twelve years old, the appearance and habits of the
poet had left an indelible impression on his mind.
In his fifteenth year, Allan had the misfortune to lose his father, who
had sunk to the grave under the pressure of poverty and misfortune; he
thus became necessitated to assist in the general support of the family.
At the age of eighteen he obtained the acquaintance of the Ettrick
Shepherd; Hogg was then tending the flocks of Mr Harkness of
Mitchelslack, in Nithsdale, and Cunningham, who had read some of his
stray ballads, formed a high estimate of his genius. Along with his
elder brother James, he paid a visit to the Shepherd one autumn
afternoon on the great hill of Queensberry; and the circumstances of the
meeting, Hogg has been at pains minutely to record. James Cunningham
came forward and frankly addressed the Shepherd, asking if his name was
Hogg, and at the same time supplying his own; he then introduced his
brother Allan, who diffidently lagged behind, and proceeded to assure
the Shepherd that he had brought to see him "the greatest admirer he had
on earth, and himself a young aspiring poet of some promise." Hogg
warmly saluted his brother bard, and, taking both the strangers to his
booth on the hill-side, the three spent the afternoon happily together,
rejoicing over the viands of a small bag of provisions, and a bottle of
milk, and another of whisky. Hogg often afterwards visited the
Cunninghams at Dalswinton, and was forcibly struck with Allan's
luxuriant though unpruned fancy. He had already written some ingenious
imitations of Ossian, and of the elder Scottish bards.
On the publication of the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," in 1805,
Cunningham contrived to save twenty-four shillings of his wages to
purchase it, and forthwith committed the poem to memory. On perusing the
poem of "Marmion," his enthusiasm was boundless; he undertook a journey
to Edinburgh that he might look upon the person of the illustrious
author. In a manner sufficiently singular, his wish was realised.
Passing and repassing in front of Scott's house in North Castle Street,
he was noticed by a lady from the window of the adjoining house, who
addressed him by name, and caused her servant to admit him. The lady was
a person of some consideration from his native district, who had fixed
her residence in the capital. He had just explained to her the object of
his Edinburgh visit, when Scott made his appearance in the street.
Passing his own door, he knocked at that of the house from the window of
which his young admirer was anxiously gazing on his stalwart figure. As
the lady of the house had not made Scott's acquaintance, she gently laid
hold on Allan's arm, inducing him to be silent, to notice the result of
the proceeding. Scott, in a reverie of thought, had passed his own
door; observing a number of children's bonnets in the lobby, he suddenly
perceived his mistake, and, apologising to the servant, hastily
withdrew.
Cunningham's elder brother Thomas, and his friend Hogg, were already
contributors to the _Scots' Magazine_. Allan made offer of some poetical
pieces to that periodical which were accepted. He first appears in the
magazine in 1807, under the signature of _Hidallan_. In 1809, Mr Cromek,
the London engraver, visited Dumfries, in the course of collecting
materials for his "Reliques of Robert Burns;" he was directed to Allan
Cunningham, as one who, having known Burns personally, and being himself
a poet, was likely to be useful in his researches. On forming his
acquaintance, Cromek at once perceived his important acquisition with
respect to his immediate object, but expressed a desire first to examine
some of his own compositions. Allan acceded to the request, but received
only a moderate share of praise from the pedantic antiquary. Cromek
urged him to collect the elder minstrelsy of Nithsdale and Galloway as
an exercise more profitable than the composition of verses. On returning
to London, Cromek received from his young friend packets of "old songs,"
which called forth his warmest encomiums. He entreated him to come to
London to push his fortune,--an invitation which was readily accepted.
For some time Cunningham was an inmate of Cromek's house, when he was
entrusted with passing through the press the materials which he had
transmitted, with others collected from different sources; and which,
formed into a volume, under the title of "Remains of Nithsdale and
Galloway Song," were published in 1810 by Messrs Cadell and Davies. The
work excited no inconsiderable attention, though most of the readers
perceived, what Cromek had not even suspected, that the greater part of
the ballads were of modern origin. Cromek did not survive to be made
cognizant of the amusing imposition which had been practised on his
credulity.
Fortune did not smile on Cunningham's first entrance into business in
London. He was compelled to resume his former occupation as a mason, and
is said to have laid pavement in Newgate Street. From this humble
position he rose to a situation in the studio of Bubb, the sculptor; and
through the counsel of Eugenius Roche, the former editor of the
"Literary Recreations," and then the conductor of _The Day_ newspaper,
he was induced to lay aside the trowel and undertake the duties of
reporter to that journal. _The Day_ soon falling into the hands of other
proprietors, Cunningham felt his situation uncomfortable, and returned
to his original vocation, attaching himself to Francis Chantrey, then a
young sculptor just commencing business. Chantrey soon rose, and
ultimately attained the summit of professional reputation; Cunningham
continued by him as the superintendent of his establishment till the
period of his death, long afterwards.
Devoted to business, and not unfrequently occupied in the studio from
eight o'clock morning till six o'clock evening, Cunningham perseveringly
followed the career of a poet and man of letters. In 1813, he published
a volume of lyrics, entitled "Songs, chiefly in the Rural Language of
Scotland." After an interval of nine years, sedulously improved by an
ample course of reading, he produced in 1822 "Sir Marmaduke Maxwell, a
Dramatic Poem." In this work, which is much commended by Sir Walter
Scott in the preface to the "Fortunes of Nigel," he depicts the manners
and traditions he had seen and heard on the banks of the Nith. In 1819,
he began to contribute to _Blackwood's Magazine_, and from 1822 to 1824
wrote largely for the _London Magazine_. Two collected volumes of his
contributions to these periodicals were afterwards published, under the
title of "Traditional Tales." In 1825, he gave to the world "The Songs
of Scotland, Ancient and Modern, with an Introduction and Notes," in
four volumes 8vo. This work abounds in much valuable and curious
criticism. "Paul Jones," a romance in three volumes, was the product of
1826; it was eminently successful. A second romance from his pen, "Sir
Michael Scott," published in 1828, in three volumes, did not succeed.
"The Anniversary," a miscellany which appeared in the winter of that
year, under his editorial superintendence, obtained an excellent
reception. From 1829 to 1833, he produced for "Murray's Family Library"
his most esteemed prose work, "The Lives of the Most Eminent British
Painters, Sculptors, and Architects," in six volumes. "The Maid of
Elvar," an epic poem in the Spenserian stanza, connected with the
chivalrous enterprise displayed in the warfare between Scotland and
England, during the reign of Henry VIII., was published in 1832. His
admirable edition of the works of Robert Burns appeared in 1834, and
5000 copies were speedily sold.[8] In 1836, he published "Lord Roldan,"
a romance. From 1830 to 1834, he was a constant writer in _The
Athenaeum_, to which, among many interesting articles, he contributed his
sentiments regarding the literary characters of the times, in a series
of papers entitled "Literature of the Last Fifty Years." He wrote a
series of prose descriptions for "Major's Cabinet Gallery," a "History
of the Rise and Progress of the Fine Arts," for the "Popular
Encyclopaedia;" an introduction, and a few additional lives, for
"Pilkington's Painters," and a life of Thomson for Tilt's illustrated
edition of "The Seasons." He contemplated a great work, to be entitled
"Lives of the British Poets," and this design, which he did not live to
accomplish, is likely to be realised by his son, Mr Peter Cunningham.
His last publication was the "Life of Sir David Wilkie," which he
completed just two days before his death. He was suddenly seized with an
apoplectic attack, and died after a brief illness on the 29th October
1842. His remains were interred in Kensal-green Cemetery. He had
married, in July 1811, Miss Jane Walker of Preston Mill, near Dumfries,
who still survives. Of a family of four sons and one daughter, three of
the sons held military appointments in India, and the fourth, who fills
a post in Somerset House, is well known for his contributions to
literature.
Allan Cunningham ranks next to Hogg as a writer of Scottish song. He
sung of the influences of beauty, and of the hills and vales of his own
dear Scotland. His songs abound in warmth of expression, simplicity of
sentiment, and luxuriousness of fancy. Of his skill as a Scottish poet,
Hogg has thus testified his appreciation in the "Queen's Wake":--
"Of the old elm his harp was made,
That bent o'er Cluden's loneliest shade;
No gilded sculpture round her flamed,
For his own hand that harp had framed,
In stolen hours, when, labour done,
He stray'd to view the parting sun.
* * * * *
That harp could make the matron stare,
Bristle the peasant's hoary hair,
Make patriot breasts with ardour glow,
And warrior pant to meet the foe;
And long by Nith the maidens young
Shall chant the strains their minstrel sung.
At ewe-bught, or at evening fold,
When resting on the daisied wold,
Combing their locks of waving gold,
Oft the fair group, enrapt, shall name
Their lost, their darling Cunninghame;
His was a song beloved in youth,
A tale of weir, a tale of truth."
As a prose writer, Cunningham was believed by Southey to have the best
style ever attained by any one born north of the Tweed, Hume only
excepted. His moral qualities were well appreciated by Sir Walter Scott,
who commonly spoke of him as "Honest Allan." His person was broad and
powerful, and his countenance wore a fine intelligence.
[6] See vol. ii., p. 223.
[7] Besides Thomas and Allan, the other members of the family afforded
evidence of talent. James, the eldest son, with a limited education, was
intimately familiar with general literature, and occasionally
contributed to the periodicals. He began his career as a stone-mason,
and by his ability and perseverance rose to the respectable position of
a master builder. He died at Dalswinton, near Dumfries, on the 27th July
1832. John, the third brother, who died in early life, evinced a turn
for mechanism, and wrote respectable verses. Peter, the fifth son,
studied medicine, and became a surgeon in the navy; he still survives,
resident at Greenwich, and is known as the author of two respectable
works, bearing the titles, "Two Years in New South Wales," and "Hints to
Australian Emigrants." Of the five daughters, one of whom only survives,
all gave evidence of intellectual ability.
[8] Writing to Mr Gabriel Neil of Glasgow, in January 1834, along with a
copy of the first volume, Cunningham remarks, "I hope you will like the
Life; a third of it is new, so are many of the anecdotes, and I am
willing to stand or fall as an author by it." Mr Neil, it may be added,
contributed to Cunningham a great deal of original information as to the
life of the poet, and also some of his unpublished poems.