John Armstrong (journalist/poet) facts for kids

John Armstrong (born 1771 – died 1797) was a Scottish journalist and poet. He came from a town called Leith, which is near Edinburgh.

Early Life and Education

John Armstrong was born in Leith in June 1771. His family was not wealthy. He went to school at Leith Grammar School and then the High School of Edinburgh. After that, he attended the University of Edinburgh. He earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree there, which is a high university qualification.

Writing and Career

In 1789, John Armstrong published his first book. It was called Juvenile Poems. This book also included his thoughts on poetry and ideas about how to prevent crimes. Because of this book, he was asked to write songs for an important event. This event was the laying of the foundation stone for the new University of Edinburgh buildings.

While he was working as a tutor for a family in Edinburgh, John also studied to become a preacher for the Church of Scotland. However, in 1790, he moved to London. There, he found a job working for a newspaper. He earned a small salary each week.

John Armstrong sometimes used a different name when he wrote. This was called a "nom de plume" or a pen name. His pen name was "Albert."

In 1791, he published another collection of poems. This book was called Sonnets from Shakspeare. His writing career seemed to be getting better, and he started earning more money.

Later Life and Death

Sadly, John Armstrong's health suddenly became very poor. He decided to move back to Leith, his hometown. He passed away there on July 21, 1797, after a quick illness.