W. E. (William Edmondstoune) Aytoun

W. E. (William Edmondstoune) Aytoun
William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813–1865) was a Scottish poet, humorist, and professor of rhetoric and belles-lettres at the University of Edinburgh. He is best known for his humorous ballads and his collaboration with Theodore Martin on the satirical collection "The Bon Gaultier Ballads" (1845). Aytoun also wrote "Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers" (1849), a collection of poems glorifying Scotland’s history and heroes. In addition to his literary work, Aytoun was politically active, advocating for Conservative causes, and contributed to "Blackwood's Magazine."

Author's Books:


PREFACE. A further edition of this book—the sixteenth—having been called for, I have been asked by the publishers to furnish a preface to it.  For prefaces I have no love.  Books should speak for themselves.  Prefaces can scarcely be otherwise than egotistic, and one would not willingly add to the too numerous illustrations of this tendency with which the literature of the day abounds.  I would... more...

LAYS OF THE SCOTTISH CAVALIERS The great battle of Flodden was fought upon the 9th of September, 1513. The defeat of the Scottish army, mainly owing to the fantastic ideas of chivalry entertained by James IV., and his refusal to avail himself of the natural advantages of his position, was by far the most disastrous of any recounted in the history of the northern wars. The whole strength of the kingdom,... more...

THE COURTING OF T'NOWHEAD'S BELL, By J. M. Barrie For two years it had been notorious in the square that Sam'l Dickie was thinking of courting T'nowhead's Bell, and that if Little Sanders Elshioner (which is the Thrums pronunciation of Alexander Alexander) went in for her, he might prove a formidable rival. Sam'l was a weaver in the tenements, and Sanders a coal-carter,... more...