John Galt (2 May 1779 - 11 April 1839) was a Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and political and social commentator. Because he was the first novelist to deal with issues of the Industrial Revolution, he has been called the first political novelist in the English language. He was the founder of the city of Guelph in Canada, and father of Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt of Montreal. Galt's novels are best known for their depiction of Scottish rural life, tinged with ironic humor. The Ayrshire Legatees was originally published in 1821 and it touches the lives of the humble Pringle family of Scotland which turned upside down with the news that they have been named the recipients of a relative's inheritance.