William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813–1865) was a Scottish poet, lawyer, and literary critic. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at the University of Edinburgh. He was called to the bar in 1837, but soon abandoned law for literature. He was a professor of rhetoric and belles lettres at the University of Edinburgh from 1845 to 1864. Aytoun was a prolific writer, producing a number of works of poetry, criticism, and satire. His most famous works include the humorous poem "The Lay of the Last Minstrel" (1845), the satirical poem "Firmilian" (1854), and the collection of humorous and satirical poems "Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers" (1849). He also wrote a number of critical works, including "The Poetry of Scotland" (1850) and "The Ballads of Scotland" (1860). Aytoun was a major figure in the Scottish literary revival of the 19th century, and his works were widely read and admired. He was a friend of the poet Robert Burns, and was a member of the literary circle known as the "Edinburgh Reviewers". He was also a friend of the novelist Sir Walter Scott, and was a major influence on the development of the Scottish literary tradition.
18 works on Textopian