Robert Aytoun of the first Scots to write in standard English. His major work was "Diophantus and Charidora". "Inconstancy Upbraided" is perhaps the best of his short poems. He is credited with a little poem, "Old Long Syne", which probably suggested Robert Burns's famous "Auld Lang Syne". He is also the author of a ballad called "Bothwell" about the battle fought by James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell with the border reiver, John Elliot of Park, also known as Little Jock Elliot or Little Jock of the Park. The ballad recounts how Bothwell, in attempting to arrest Little Jock Elliot, suffers life-threatening
Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush the 10th bestselling novel during 1896. The stories in the book recount some of MacLaren's experiences as a Free Church minister in rural Perthshire and blends humour and pathos with racy Scots dialogue. Maclaren mentions the Drumtochty Forest in the book. William Hole illustrated an 1896 Hodder & Stoughton edition of the book. In the U.S., Clifton Johnson illustrated an edition of the book as well as MacLaren's "The Days of Auld Lang Syne". He also illustrated works by Scottish author J.M. Barrie. Charles H. Gabriel wrote the music and produced songsheets for the song and dedicated it to Mclaren.