Alexander McLachlan (poet)
Alexander McLachlan (1818–1896) was a Scottish-born Canadian poet who was active in the mid-nineteenth century and wrote in both Scottish dialect and poetic convention of the homesickness of Scottish immigrants to Canada. Both his contemporary and later critics have called him "the Canadian Robert Burns", after a Scottish national poet who also authored Scottish traditional verse. McLachlan's bound verse includes the titles The Spirit of Love (1846), Lyrics (1858), The Emigrant (1861) and Poems and Songs (1871).
Alexander McLachlan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1818 Johnstone, Scotland |
| Died | 1896 (aged 77–78) Orangeville, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Poet, farmer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Years active | 1846–1874 |
| Notable works | The Emigrant and Other Poems |
McLachlan was born in Johnstone, Scotland, to Charles McLachlan and Jean Sutherland. In 1820, his father immigrated to Canada and settled in Caledon Township on 100 acres (40 ha) of land, leaving his family in Scotland. At some point in the 1830s, he died, leaving Alexander his land. McLachlan immigrated in 1840. One year later he married his cousin Clamina, and went on to have eleven children.