author
Andrew Erskine
1739–1793
A witty Scottish soldier, poet, and songwriter from the Erskine family, he is best remembered today for his lively friendship and correspondence with James Boswell. His life mixed literary charm with private struggle, ending tragically in 1793.
1 Audiobook
Critical Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira, Written by Mr. David Malloch
by James Boswell, George Dempster, Andrew Erskine
About the author
Born in 1739, Andrew Erskine was the youngest son of Alexander Erskine, 5th Earl of Kellie. He served in the army, holding a commission in the 71st Regiment of Foot and later in the 24th Regiment, before spending much of his adult life in Edinburgh.
He is most often remembered through his letters to James Boswell, which show a playful, quick, and highly social mind. Erskine also wrote verse and songs; among the pieces later associated with him, "How Sweet the Lone Vale" became especially well known after his death.
Accounts of his later years describe long periods of loneliness and depression. He died in 1793, reportedly by drowning near Edinburgh, and his story has remained a poignant one in the literary history surrounding Boswell and eighteenth-century Scotland.