From his grandfather, James Grant, the novelist inherited strong Jacobite proclivities, and he was connected by descent with the Veitches of Dawyck, Peeblesshire, and thus possessed a strain of border blood.

[2] Grant became a skilled draughtsman, but other and literary tastes were showing themselves, and he now devoted himself to novel writing, speedily becoming a most prolific writer.

His last works of fiction were 'Love's Labour Won' (1888), dealing with incidents of Burmese dacoity, and Playing with Fire (1887), a story of the war in the Soudan.

Those dealing with Scottish history embody considerable research, are vigorous and picturesque in style, and express much sympathy with the reckless daring, loyalty, and manliness of Scotch and border heroes.

[4] A charge of plagiarism has been brought against Grant owing to his having incorporated without acknowledgment a good many descriptive passages from a book of travels and campaigning in one of his novels.

Grant, however, does not seem to have exceeded the license justly allowed a novelist of appropriating local colour for his fictions from graver writers.

The following are his works in this department of literature:[4] In 1852 Grant founded and acted as secretary to the National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights, upholding its views steadily in spite of the ridicule heaped upon him by Punch and many English newspapers.

He was modest and retiring, genial, intensely patriotic, and of strong religious susceptibilities; but with all his devotion to literature he died leaving only £490.