William Drummond's father held a position at the court of James VI, and William was brought up amongst poets and writers. He studied in Edinburgh, London, Bourges and Paris, intending to be a lawyer. However, when his father died, Drummond abandoned his legal career and devoted himself to poetry and mechanical experiments. His chief works include Tears on the Death of Meliades, a lament on the death of Prince Henry, and The Cyprus Grove. This portrait shows him in elegant court dress, with a fine lace collar.