Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lyon, Agnes
LYON, Mrs. AGNES (1762–1840), Scottish poetess, eldest daughter of John Ramsay L'Amy of Dunkenny, Forfarshire, was born at Dundee early in 1762. In 1786 she became the wife of the Rev. Dr. James Lyon of Glamis, Forfarshire, and died 14 Sept. 1840. She was a woman of some talent and fancy, and wrote poetry, filling four manuscript volumes, which she directed at her death to remain unprinted, unless the family needed pecuniary assistance. The song beginning ‘You've surely heard of famous Niel,’ by which she is solely remembered, was written at the request of Niel Gow [q. v.] for his air, ‘Farewell to whisky.’ In some collections it is very incorrectly printed; in Dr. Rogers's ‘Scottish Minstrel’ it is given from the original manuscript. It is of no great merit, and only survives because of its subject and the air to which it is set.
[Scottish Minstrel, as above; Drummond's Perthshire in Bygone Days.]