Background
Finlay was born of humble parents at Glasgow in December 1782.
Finlay was born of humble parents at Glasgow in December 1782.
He was educated in one of the academies at Glasgow, and at the age of fourteen entered the university, where he had as a classmate John Wilson (alias "Christopher North"), who states that he was distinguished "above most of his contemporaries".
The prospect of obtaining a situation in one of the public offices led him to visit London in 1807, and while there he contributed to the magazines some articles on antiquarian subjects. Not finding suitable employment he returned to Glasgow in 1808. He began to collect materials for a continuation of Warton"s History of Poetry, but in 1810 he left Glasgow to visit Professor Wilson at Ellerlay, Westmoreland.
On the way he fell ill at Moffat, and died there on 8 December.