ABSTRACT
The son of a weaver, Michael Bruce was born in Kinnesswood, Scotland. Although he was reported to be something of a child prodigy, Bruce's early schooling was frequently interrupted, as his family hired him out to work as a shepherd and cattle herder. A small family legacy and the assistance of neighbours allowed him to attend the University of Edinburgh, and it was hoped that he would train for a career in the ministry. While at university, Bruce is said to have indulged himself, and his small funds, in his passion for book-collecting. Bruce's father had been renowned in his nauve village as a storyteller, and Bruce began composing occasional verse at a very young age. Unlike other labouring-class Scottish poets who celebrated Scottish locales in Scottish dialect, Bruce's language, style and subject always aspire to the more conventional polite literary language.
