Elizabeth Scot(t) (17 July 1729 – 1789), born Elizabeth Rutherford, was an eighteenth-century Scottish poet who composed stanzas from a young age.

Biography

Elizabeth was born 17 July 1729 in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, the daughter of Alice Watson and advocate David Rutherford. Her aunt

Alison Cockburn Alison Cockburn also Alison Rutherford, or Alicia Cockburn (8 October 171222 November 1794) was a Scottish poet, wit and socialite who collected a circle of eminent friends in 18th-century enlightenment Edinburgh including Walter Scott, Robert ...

was also a poet and she was encouraged to write by the Scottish poet

Allan Ramsay Allan Ramsay may refer to: *Allan Ramsay (poet) or Allan Ramsay the Elder (1686–1758), Scottish poet *Allan Ramsay (artist) Allan Ramsay (13 October 171310 August 1784) was a Scottish portrait Painting, painter. Life and career Ramsay w ...

. Elizabeth married Walter Scot in 1768. Together they lived at Wauchope House near

Jedburgh Jedburgh ( ; ; or ) is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and the traditional county town of the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Roxburghshire. History Jedburgh began as ''Jedworð'', the "worth" or enclosed settlem ...

, Scotland. Scot is most known for the poetic epistle titled ‘The Guidwife of Wauchope-house to Robert Burns', which she wrote for Scottish poet

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

in 1787. Burns visited her on his Scottish tour. Other correspondents who supported her work include Enlightenment author Allan Ramsey and author

Thomas Blacklock Thomas Blacklock (10 November 1721 – 7 July 1791) was a Scottish poet who went blind in infancy. Life He was born near Annan, Dumfriesshire (now Dumfries and Galloway), of humble parentage, and lost his sight as a result of smallpox when six ...

References

1729 births 1789 deaths Scottish poets People from Jedburgh Writers from the Scottish Borders 18th-century Scottish poets Scottish women poets 18th-century Scottish women writers {{Scotland-poet-stub