Complex sentence: Robert Gilfillan (7 July 1798--4 December 1850) was a poet and songwriter, born at Dunfermline, Scotland, and latterly a collector of the police rates at Leith.
Split into simpler sentences: Robert Gilfillan (7 July 1798--4 December 1850) was a Scottish poet and songwriter. He latterly was a collector of the police rates at Leith.