Allan Cunningham Quotes

Allan Cunningham was born at Keir, near Dalswinton, Dumfriesshire. He   was a Scottish poet and author. Cunningham was apprenticed to a stonemason, but gave his leisure to reading and writing imitations of old Scottish ballads. In 1810 Cunningham went to London, where he worked as a parliamentary reporter and journalist till 1814, when he became clerk of the works in the studio of the sculptor, Francis Chantrey, a post he kept until Chantrey's death in 1841. Cunningham meanwhile continued to write, three novels, a life of Sir David Wilkie, and Lives of Eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, besides many songs. A Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea is one of the best British sea-songs, although written by a landsman; and many other of Cunningham's songs became popular.