Bruce, Michael (1746-1767)

Scottish poet. His longest poem, Lochleven, shows the influence of James Thomson. His finest poem is the Elegy Written in Spring.

The authorship of the ‘Ode to the Cuckoo’, beginning ‘Hail, beauteous stranger of the grove’, is contested, some ascribing it to Bruce, others to his editor, the Reverend John Logan, who was also accused of plagiarizing several of Bruce's pieces in his edition of the Scottish Paraphrases.

Bruce was born in Kinnesswood, Kinross-shire. His education was seriously interrupted as he was often needed to act as herder, but he entered Edinburgh University for four sessions, and for a short time he kept a school. Bruce's promising career was cut short by consumption.