Friend and amanuensis of Sir Walter Scott; born at Blackhouse, Selkirkshire, on the 19th of November 1780, the son of a sheep farmer. After an elementary education in Peebles he returned to work upon his fathers farm. James Hogg, the shepherd poet, who was employed at Blackhouse for some years, became Laidlaws friend and appreciative critic. Together they assisted Scott by supplying material for his Border Minstrelsy, and Laidlaw, after two failures as a farmer in Midlothian and Peebleshire, became Scotts steward at Abbotsford. He also acted as Scotts amanuensis at different times, taking down a large part of The Bride of Lammermoor, The Legend of Montrose and Ivanhoe from the authors dictation. He died at Contin near Dingwall, Ross-shire, on the 18th of May 1845. Of his poetry, little is known except Lucys Flittin in Hoggs Forest Minstrel.