John Mayne

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John Mayne (1759 - 1836), poet, was born in Dumfries. In 1780 he published the Siller Gun in its original form in Ruddiman's Magazine. It is a humorous poem descriptive of an ancient custom in Dumfries of shooting for the "Siller Gun." He was continually adding to it, until it grew to five cantos. He also wrote a poem on Hallowe'en, and a version of the ballad, Helen of Kirkconnel.

His verses were admired by Sir Walter Scott.

This article incorporates public domain text from: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London, J.M. Dent & sons; New York, E.P. Dutton.