Books

8vo, pp. xlviii, [1], 10-368 + frontispiece. 20th-century green morocco by Riviere & Son, boards boarded with a gilt rule, spine divided by raised bands gilt, 2nd compartment lettered direct in gilt, other compartments tooled elaborately in gilt, edges gilt. A little scattered soiling, sympathetic restoration to foot of frontispiece and head of title-page. Head of front board just very slightly sunned. Modern bookplate to pastedown. The second edition - and the first Edinburgh publication - of Burns?s landmark collection of poems, preceded only by the Kilmarnock printing the previous year. This copy, in an attractive later binding by Riviere, has ?skinking? on p. 263 -the earlier state, which was replaced by ?stinking? as the result of a mid-printing rushed resetting of type to expand the print run. Lamont goes as far as to distinguish the two versions as separate editions, though this is to help ensure the variants are identified in catalogues rather than out of strict bibliographical accuracy. Lamont 2; ESTC T91547.

This is one of the most famous collections of poetry by Robert Burns, which includes many of his most famous Scots verse and English-language poems.