The half-apologetic reason for having written in vulgar rhyme, coupled with the addenda in the advertisement of the first edition, “the like has not been done since the days of David Lindsay,” almost lead to the inference that he was acquainted with Lindsay’s works; while the reference to “those of common education like myself,” does not support the assertion that “he got no education.” The disappearance of the first and second editions makes it impossible to ascertain the extent of the “amendments” which he made on their texts; but they are said to be in the way of toning down the Jacobite leanings, in deference to the Hanoverianism of his patrons, the Glasgow magistrates. On this is founded a charge of trimming, which, the impossibility presently existing of comparing the two texts, prevents our either verifying or refuting. We must therefore suspend our judgment until a copy of either of the lost editions turns up—if that should ever happen. Meanwhile, it may be observed that the edition “amended,” as he himself calls it, was published two years after his appointment as bellman, and could no way influence his preference to that office. If made in remembrance of past favours, it at least shows a sense of gratitude; but this is proverbially not a strong motive; and as to future favours, there is every reason to think that Dougal’s ambition in that direction was already satisfied. If we also take into consideration that the History was written when he was little over twenty-one, and published within a few months of the last and misguided struggle of the clans, too soon to admit of the events truthfully recorded being impartially judged, and before the lapse of time admitted of their being seen in their true bearings, that, nearly thirty years afterwards, “amendments” were made on some of his early judgments, need excite no suspicion that they went beyond the real change in his convictions.
We have no wish to claim for Dougal, and it would be unfair to exact of him a high moral standard: he had been all his life too much under the stern discipline of circumstances, and saw too much of its levelling effects to have retained—if he ever possessed—any sympathy for that scrupulosity of thought and conduct which constitutes a high principled character. But we see nothing in his behaviour which betrays any lack of spirit or independence; the quotations from his preface are the expression of sober self-respect, without egotism; conveyed in quaint, but appropriate language, and full of good common sense.
We have dwelt upon the “History of the Rebellion,” not because we think it the greatest—though by far the largest of his works—but, because its history is almost the only authentic nucleus round which the events of his life cluster; the only “child of his brain,” of which he himself acknowledges the fatherhood. For this reason, and because of the disappearance of first editions, it has been found impossible to determine the date, or even his authorship, of many popular chap-books ascribed to his pen. Fortunately, the authorship of the best of them rests upon the authority of Motherwell the poet, whose information, derived, as it is, direct from his “intelligent” friend, George Caldwell, the chief publisher of Dougal’s “Penny Histories,” is of the most reliable kind. His article in the Paisley Magazine of January, 1829, on “Dougald Graham” being the stimulus and groundwork of all subsequent investigations on the subject.
The incidents of Dougal’s official life being committed to the keeping of tradition, have faded out of public memory with the generation whose sides were tickled by his jokes; but a list of his chap-books made by Motherwell, lets us see how he employed his literary leisure, and the date of publication of the last but one on the list, brings us to the date of his exit from the scene which his pen and his voice helped so much to enliven. It is generally agreed that “Jockie and Maggie’s Courtship” is the first of his original prose compositions; and that it was written some time after his having set up in business as a printer. He appears to have previously devoted his pen entirely to the service of the poetic muses; and is the originator of those comic, but harmless satires on the simplicity and imperfect English of Highlanders, of which his John Hielandman and Turnimspike are the prototypes. But, like his greater countryman, and it may be added, his greatest extinguisher, Scott—and much about the same age—after he had worked out the poetic vein, he discovered a prose one, equally prolific, and of richer ore; but of which, like the “Great Unknown,” he preferred to be the unknown excavator. It is an odd coincidence that, like Scott, too, he frequently wrote under cognomens, as John Falkirk, or The Scots Piper. The following is Motherwell’s list of his prose tracts, with the dates of the earliest editions which he was able to obtain:—Leper the Tailor, Part II. only, being a first edition.
1. Jockie and Maggie, five parts, 1783; 2. Paddy from Cork, 1784; 3. Lothian Tom, six parts, 1793; 4. John Cheap (The Chapman), three parts, 1786; 5. John Falkirk, 1779; 6. John Falkirk’s Cariches; 7. Janet Clinker’s Orations; sometimes published under the title of Granny M’Nab’s Lectures in the Society of Clashing Wives; 8. Leper the Tailor, parts I. and II., 1779; 9. Simple John and His Twelve Misfortunes. Motherwell is of opinion that George Buchanan, The Coalman’s Courtship, and the History of Buckhaven, are his also; and questions the existence of any of them before his time. These three are also found attributed to him by M’Vean, a Glasgow antiquarian bookseller, in a MS. list of Dougal’s publications quoted by Dr Strang,[A] which, in addition to those in Motherwell’s list, contains: The History of the Haverel Wives, The Grand Solemnity of the Tailor’s Funeral, &c.; The Remarkable Life and Transactions of Alexander Hamwinkle, &c.; The Dying Groans of Sir John Barleycorn, &c.; A Warning to the Methodist Preachers; A Second Warning to the Methodist Preachers. Mr Fraser, who has, perhaps, given more consideration to the subject than any of his predecessors, besides having the benefit of their labours,[B] gives a classified list of his publications under four heads.
1. The Works of Dougal Graham. 2. Works Probably Written by Graham. 3. Works Compiled or Edited by Graham. 4. Works attributed to Graham. Under the first head he adopts Motherwell’s list, substituting for Paddy from Cork and Simple John, The Coalman’s Courtship, and Simple Tam, which is the Scotch introduction to Simple John; and adding, The Grand Solemnity of the Tailor’s Funeral, Turnimspike, John Hielandman, Proverbs on the Pride of Women, and The History of the Haverel Wives. Under the second he gives: Dugald M’Taggart, in verse; Verses on the Popular Superstitions of Scotland; Rythmical Dialogue between the Pope and the Devil; An Epitaph on the Third Commandment; Alexander Hamwinkle; Warning to the Methodist Preachers; and A Second Warning. Under the third he places Paddy from Cork; Simple John; John Falkirk; and John Falkirk’s Cariches; and under the fourth, Sir John Barleycorn; The History of Buckhaven; and Verses on the Pride of Women; he should also have added George Buchanan. Of the History of Buckhaven; George Buchanan; and Simple John, except the Scotch introduction, Mr Fraser thinks it extremely improbable, judging from internal evidence, that they were composed by Graham, though he may have sold them to the publishers as his own composition. “For,” he adds, regarding the two first, “there is not a single sentence in either of them that might not have been written by anyone else.” Then why not by Graham? We wonder whether Mr Fraser has read the History of Buckhaven through, or whether he is thinking of some other tract.
What Mr Fraser says as to their facetiæ—including that of Paddy from Cork—being found in the facetiæ of almost every country in Europe, may be true—as Motherwell also states in almost the same words; but Mr Fraser does not contend for originality in the incidents, if the composition be imbued with the national spirit and adapted to the manner of thought and language of Scotchmen. George Buchanan is thoroughly Scotch in spirit, and its language is such as an ordinary Scotchman of common education would use in writing of events that happened out of Scotland, and where the use of his native dialect was inappropriate. The same may be said—of the language only—of Paddy from Cork, which Mr Fraser places under the third head, and we see no improbability in the composition of both tracts being Graham’s. Mr Fraser seems to forget that Dougal could write in other styles than that of Jockie and Maggie—that, no doubt, is his best—but his preface to the third edition of his History, Turnimspike, &c., and his denunciations of the Papists, display a versatility as to style which makes it difficult to except almost anything in chap literature from his authorship.
Leper the Tailor, Part II. (as has been already observed), the only first edition in Motherwell’s list, bears date 1779; and on the 20th July, of that year, Dougal died (if the date of his birth given be correct) at the age of 55,[C] and while his literary powers were in unabated vigour. The cause of his death is not recorded, and no obituary of him appeared in any of the local papers of the time; but an elegy “On the much-lamented Death of the Witty Poet and Bellman,” from the pen of some unknown admirer, has been preserved. We quote two stanzas which bear contemporary evidence to his humanity and wit:
“Ye mothers fond! Oh! be not blate
To mourn poor Dougal’s hapless fate;