Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nicol, Alexander
NICOL, ALEXANDER (fl. 1739–1766), Scottish poet, was, according to his own statement, the son of a packman, and was left fatherless at the age of six. Although only one year at school, he succeeded in so far educating himself that, after for some time following the occupation of packman, he became teacher of English at Abernyte, Perthshire. Afterwards he settled at Collace, Perthshire. He published ‘Nature without Art: or Nature's Progress in Poetry, being a Collection of Miscellaneous Poems,’ 1739; and ‘Nature's Progress in Poetry, being a Collection of Serious Poems,’ 1739. These volumes were reprinted in one volume in 1766, under the title ‘Poems on Several Subjects, both comical and serious.’
[Poetical account of himself in Nature without Art.]