John Morrison was a native of Perthshire. Sometime before 1745 he was
settled as missionary at Amulree, a muirland district near Dunkeld. In
1759 he became minister of Petty, a parish in the county of Inverness.
He obtained his preferment in consequence of an interesting incident in
his history. The proprietor of Delvine in Perthshire, who was likewise a
Writer to the Signet, was employed in a legal process, which required _a
diligence_ to be executed against one of the clan Frazer. A design to
waylay and murder the official employed in the _diligence_ had been
concerted. This came to the knowledge of a clergyman who ministered in a
parish chiefly inhabited by the Lovat tenantry. The minister, afraid of
openly divulging the design, on account of the unsettled nature of his
flock, begged an immediate visit from his friend, Mr Morrison, who
speedily returned to Perthshire with information to the laird of
Delvine. The Frazers found the authority of the law supported by a
sufficient force; and Mr Morrison was rewarded by being presented,
through the influence of the laird of Delvine, to the parish of Petty.
Amidst professional engagements discharged with zeal and acceptance,
Morrison found leisure for the composition of verses. Two of his lyrics
are highly popular among the Gael; one of them we offer as a specimen,
and an improved version of the other will afterwards appear in the
present work. Mr Morrison died in November 1774.