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Allan Ramsay (15 October 1686 – 7 January 1758) was a Scottish poet (or ''makar''), playwright, publisher, librarian and wig-maker. ==Life and career== Allan Ramsay was born at Leadhills, Lanarkshire to John Ramsay, superintendent of Lord Hopetoun's lead-mines and his wife, Alice Bower, a native of Derbyshire. John Ramsay was descended from lowland Clan Ramsay. Allan Ramsay was educated at the parish school of Crawford, and in 1701 was apprenticed to a wig-maker in Edinburgh. He married Christian Ross in 1712; a few years after he had established himself as a wig-maker (not as a barber, as has been often said) in the High Street, and soon found himself in comfortable circumstances. They had six children. His eldest child was Allan Ramsay, the portrait painter. Ramsay's first efforts in verse-making were inspired by the meetings of the Easy Club (founded in 1712), of which he was an original member; and in 1715 he became the Club Laureate. In the society of the members he assumed the name of "Isaac Bickerstaff," and later of "Gawin Douglas," the latter partly in memory of his maternal grandfather Douglas of Muthill (Perthshire), and partly to give point to his boast that he was a "poet sprung from a Douglas loin." The choice of the two names has some significance, when we consider his later literary life as the associate of the Queen Anne poets and as a collector of old Lowland Scots poetry. By 1718 he had made some reputation as a writer of occasional verse, which he published in broadsheets, and then (or a year earlier) he turned bookseller in the premises where he had hitherto plied his craft of wig-making. In 1716 he had published a rough transcript of ''Christ's Kirk on the Green'' from the Bannatyne Manuscript, with some additions of his own. In 1718 he republished the piece with more supplementary verses. In the following year he printed a collection of ''Scots Songs''. The success of these ventures prompted him to collect his poems in 1722. The volume was issued by subscription, and brought in the sum of four hundred guineas. Four years later he removed to another shop, in the neighbouring Luckenbooths, where he opened a circulating library and extended his business as a bookseller.〔(Scottish Book Trade Index )〕 Ramsay is considered to have created the first circulating library in Britain when he rented books from his shop in 1725.〔Altick, Richard D., ''The English Common Reader'', University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1957.〕 Between the publication of the collected edition of his poems and his settling down in the Luckenbooths, he had published a few shorter poems and had issued the first instalments of ''The Tea-Table Miscellany'' and ''The Ever Green'' (both 1724-1727). ''The Tea-Table Miscellany'' is "A Collection of Choice Songs Scots and English," containing some of Ramsay's own, some by his friends, several well-known ballads and songs, and some Caroline verse. Its title was suggested by the programme of The Spectator: and the compiler claimed the place for his songs "e'en while the tea's fill'd reeking round," which Addison sought for his speculations at the hour set apart " for tea and bread and butter." In ''The Ever Green'', being a ''Collection of Scots Poems'' wrote by the Ingenious before 1600, Ramsay had another purpose, to reawaken an interest in the older national literature. Nearly all the pieces were taken from the Bannatyne manuscript, though they are by no means verbatim copies. They included his version of Christ's ''Kirk'' and a remarkable pastiche by the editor entitled the ''Vision''. While engaged on these two series, he produced, in 1725, his dramatic pastoral ''The Gentle Shepherd''. In the volume of poems published in 1722 Ramsay had shown his bent to this genre, especially in "Patie and Roger," which supplies two of the dramatis personae to his greater work. The success of the drama was remarkable. It passed through several editions, and was performed at the theatre in Edinburgh; its title is still known in every corner of Scotland, even if it be no longer read. In 1726 he published anonymously Poems in English and Latin, on the Archers and Royal Company of Archers, by several Hands for the Royal Company of Archers.〔Sir Paul James Balfour, ''The History of the Royal Company of Archers: The Queen's Body-guard for Scotland.'' W. Blackwood, 1875, p.280 ()〕 He wrote the words to the Archer's March, ''Sound, sound the music, sound it,'' ''Let hills and dales rebound it,'' ''Let hills and dales rebound it'' ''In praise of Archery.'' ''Used as a Game it pleases,'' ''The mind to joy it raises,'' ''And throws off all diseases'' ''Of lazy luxury.'' ''Now, now our care beguiling,'' ''When all the year looks smiling,'' ''When all the year looks smiling'' ''With healthful harmony.'' ''The sun in glory glowing,'' ''With morning dew bestowing'' ''Sweet fragrance, life, and growing'' ''To flowers and every tree.'' ''Tis now the archers royal,'' ''An hearty band and loyal,'' ''An hearty band and loyal,'' ''That in just thought agree,'' ''Appear in ancient bravery,'' ''Despising all base knavery,'' ''Which tends to bring in slavery,'' ''Souls worthy to live free.'' ''Sound, sound the music, sound it,'' ''Fill up the glass and round wi't,'' ''Fill up the glass and round wi't,'' ''Health and Prosperity'' ''To our great chief and officers,'' ''To our president and counsellors,'' ''To all who like their brave forbears'' ''Delight in Archery.'' Ramsay wrote little afterwards, though he published a few shorter poems, and new editions of his earlier work. A complete edition of his Poems appeared in London n 1731 and in Dublin in 1733. With a touch of vanity he expressed the fear lest "the coolness of fancy that attends advanced years should make me risk the reputation I had acquired." He was already on terms of intimacy with the leading men of letters in Scotland and England. He corresponded with William Hamilton of Bangour, William Somervile, John Gay and Alexander Pope. Gay visited him in Edinburgh, and Pope praised his pastoral—compliments which were undoubtedly responsible for some of Ramsay's unhappy poetic ventures beyond his Scots vernacular. The poet had for many years been a warm supporter of the stage. Some of his prologues and epilogues were written for the London theatres. In 1736 he set about the erection of a new theatre, "at vast expense," in Carrubber's Close, Edinburgh; but the opposition was too strong, and the new house was closed in 1737. In 1755 he retired from his shop to the house on the slope of the Castle Rock, still known as Ramsay Lodge. This house was called by his friends "the goose-pie," because of its octagonal shape.〔(Chambers, Robert. ''Traditions of Edinburgh'' 1825, pages 105-108 )〕 He is buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh. The grave itself is unmarked but a monument was erected to his memory on the south wall of Greyfriars Kirk in the mid-19th century. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Allan Ramsay (poet)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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