Two Letters from Joseph Train Relating to His Early Literary Career and Collaboration with (Sir) Walter Scott
TDGNHAS Series III, 84 (2010), 161(3.44 MB)
A recent review of the archive collections held in The Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright has brought to light two letters2 written by Joseph Train to his friend John Stobo, a Sergeant in the Ayrshire Militia. Joseph Train (1779-1852) was an Excise officer from 1808, working in various parts of Scotland until his retirement to Castle Douglas. He was one of south west Scotland’s earliest antiquaries and is particularly known as a correspondent of Sir Walter Scott for whom he collected and supplied traditional and historical information from this area3 . This information inspired and provided the historical basis for several of Scott’s poetical and prose works.