Rosaline Masson

Rosaline Masson (1867–1949) was a Scottish author and a prolific writer of novels, biographies, histories and other works.

[3] An active community campaigner throughout her life, in 1919 she became one of the first women to join the ruling Council of the influential conservationist body the Cockburn Association.

[4] Masson was involved in the organisation until 1935, writing a history of its first 50 years in 1925, Scotia's Darling Seat, 1875–1925.

Through her father, Masson encountered many of the literary giants of her day who visited their family home in Edinburgh.

She has many anecdotes of these encounters in her book, Poets, Patriots, and Lovers, that give insights into their personalities.

For example, she has a 'hazy memory' of Thomas Carlyle "standing by my table stooping as he spread golden syrup on a slice of bread for me at my breakfast.