Synopses & Reviews
There are more statues of Robert Burns in the United States than there are of any American poet. Scotland's favorite poet has been loved by generations of Americans--from Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman to Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Bob Dylan. Now this book makes Burns's greatest poetry more accessible to American readers than ever before. This is the only comprehensive selection of his work that has discreet line-by-line marginal glossing of the Scots, archaic, and obscure words, allowing readers to understand and enjoy the poems without constantly having to turn to footnotes or a glossary. Newly edited from manuscripts and early printed texts, this definitive, wide-ranging collection also introduces some recently discovered verses--and it is the only edition to present a substantial selection of Burns's important prose writings, including letters and key statements about his art. Edited and annotated by acclaimed Burns biographer Robert Crawford and textual expert Christopher MacLachlan, the book also includes a substantial introduction that puts the poet in biographical, historical, and cultural context.
The Best Laid Schemes demonstrates like no other collection why Burns is considered one of the world's greatest poets of love and democracy--and why he continues to entertain, move, and intrigue readers two and a half centuries after his birth.
Review
"[Robert] Crawford and Christopher MacLachlan have opportunely put together by far the most appealing and important selection of Burns's writing that has appeared to date. The Best Laid Schemes includes not only all the great poems, but also excerpts from letters and other prose writings that illuminate the poet's personality and art. The textual editing is meticulous, Crawford contributes a richly informative introduction, and marginal glosses elucidate any linguistic difficulties. It is beautifully produced, with an unpretentious elegance that Burns would have approved."--John Carey, New York Review of Books
Review
"The Best Laid Schemes . . . is a collection of poetry and prose from Burns's pen that gives the reader far more than the fare to be found in the usual anthology. As well as perennial favourites, there are interesting rediscovered poems that have been ignored or missed by earlier editors. This is an attractively presented collection with a beautifully written introduction to the life and work of the poet. . . . [The editors] have done a great deal to reveal again the charm and complexity of one of the world's greatest ever poets of love."--Alexander McCall Smith, Telegraph
Review
[Robert] Crawford and Christopher MacLachlan have opportunely put together by far the most appealing and important selection of Burns's writing that has appeared to date. The Best Laid Schemes includes not only all the great poems, but also excerpts from letters and other prose writings that illuminate the poet's personality and art. The textual editing is meticulous, Crawford contributes a richly informative introduction, and marginal glosses elucidate any linguistic difficulties. It is beautifully produced, with an unpretentious elegance that Burns would have approved. John Carey
Review
The Best Laid Schemes . . . is a collection of poetry and prose from Burns's pen that gives the reader far more than the fare to be found in the usual anthology. As well as perennial favourites, there are interesting rediscovered poems that have been ignored or missed by earlier editors. This is an attractively presented collection with a beautifully written introduction to the life and work of the poet. . . . [The editors] have done a great deal to reveal again the charm and complexity of one of the world's greatest ever poets of love. New York Review of Books
Synopsis
The definitive selection of Robert Burns's best poetry and prose, including some newly discovered verses
There are more statues of Robert Burns in the United States than there are of any American poet. Scotland's favorite poet has been loved by generations of Americans-from Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman to Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Bob Dylan. Now this book makes Burns's greatest poetry more accessible to American readers than ever before. This is the only comprehensive selection of his work that has discreet line-by-line marginal glossing of the Scots, archaic, and obscure words, allowing readers to understand and enjoy the poems without constantly having to turn to footnotes or a glossary. Newly edited from manuscripts and early printed texts, this definitive, wide-ranging collection also introduces some recently discovered verses-and it is the only edition to present a substantial selection of Burns's important prose writings, including letters and key statements about his art. Edited and annotated by acclaimed Burns biographer Robert Crawford and textual expert Christopher MacLachlan, the book also includes a substantial introduction that puts the poet in biographical, historical, and cultural context.
The Best Laid Schemes demonstrates like no other collection why Burns is considered one of the world's greatest poets of love and democracy-and why he continues to entertain, move, and intrigue readers two and a half centuries after his birth.
Synopsis
There are more statues of Robert Burns in the United States than there are of any American poet. Scotland's favorite poet has been loved by generations of Americans--from Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman to Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Bob Dylan. Now this book makes Burns's greatest poetry more accessible to American readers than ever before. This is the only comprehensive selection of his work that has discreet line-by-line marginal glossing of the Scots, archaic, and obscure words, allowing readers to understand and enjoy the poems without constantly having to turn to footnotes or a glossary. Newly edited from manuscripts and early printed texts, this definitive, wide-ranging collection also introduces some recently discovered verses--and it is the only edition to present a substantial selection of Burns's important prose writings, including letters and key statements about his art. Edited and annotated by acclaimed Burns biographer Robert Crawford and textual expert Christopher MacLachlan, the book also includes a substantial introduction that puts the poet in biographical, historical, and cultural context.
The Best Laid Schemes demonstrates like no other collection why Burns is considered one of the world's greatest poets of love and democracy--and why he continues to entertain, move, and intrigue readers two and a half centuries after his birth.
Synopsis
"This is an excellent, comprehensive, and authoritative selection of the writings of one of the world's major poets, and it is likely to become the standard edition for general readers and students."--Ian Duncan, University of California, Berkeley
Synopsis
"This is an excellent, comprehensive, and authoritative selection of the writings of one of the world's major poets, and it is likely to become the standard edition for general readers and students."--Ian Duncan, University of California, Berkeley
Synopsis
There are more statues of Robert Burns in the United States than there are of any American poet. Scotland's favorite poet has been loved by generations of Americans--from Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman to Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Bob Dylan. Now this book makes Burns's greatest poetry more accessible to American readers than ever before. This is the only comprehensive selection of his work that has discreet line-by-line marginal glossing of the Scots, archaic, and obscure words, allowing readers to understand and enjoy the poems without constantly having to turn to footnotes or a glossary. Newly edited from manuscripts and early printed texts, this definitive, wide-ranging collection also introduces some recently discovered verses--and it is the only edition to present a substantial selection of Burns's important prose writings, including letters and key statements about his art. Edited and annotated by acclaimed Burns biographer Robert Crawford and textual expert Christopher MacLachlan, the book also includes a substantial introduction that puts the poet in biographical, historical, and cultural context.
The Best Laid Schemes demonstrates like no other collection why Burns is considered one of the world's greatest poets of love and democracy--and why he continues to entertain, move, and intrigue readers two and a half centuries after his birth.
Synopsis
"This is an excellent, comprehensive, and authoritative selection of the writings of one of the world's major poets, and it is likely to become the standard edition for general readers and students."--Ian Duncan, University of California, Berkeley
About the Author
Robert Crawford is professor of modern Scottish literature at the University of St. Andrews. His many books include "The Bard: Robert Burns, A Biography" (Princeton). Christopher MacLachlan is senior lecturer in English at St. Andrews and the editor of "Before Burns: Eighteenth-Century Scottish Poetry".
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Textual Note xi
Introduction xiii
Further Reading xxxvii
POEMS
My Father was a Farmer 3
To Ruin. 5
The Death and Dying Words of Poor Mailie, The Author's Only Pet Yowe, An Unco Mournfu' Tale 6
Poor Mailie's Elegy. 9
Mary Morison 11
On a Noisy Polemic. 12
For the Author's Father. 12
A Fragment. [When Guilford Good our Pilot Stood] 13
Address to the Unco Guid, or the Rigidly Righteous. 16
O Leave Novels 19
Green Grow the Rashes. A Fragment. 20
Epistle to Davie, A Brother Poet. 21
Holy Willie's Prayer 26
Death and Doctor Hornbook. A True Story. 30
Epistle to J. L[aprai]k, An Old Scotch Bard. 36
The Vision. 40
To a Mouse 47
The Holy Fair. 49
The Twa Dogs, A Tale. 57
The Cotter's Saturday Night. 65
Address to the Deil. 71
Brose and Butter. 75
To a Louse 76
A Cantata. [Love and Liberty or The Jolly Beggars] 78
On a Scotch Bard Gone to the West Indies. 89
To the Author. [Second Epistle to Davie] 91
[Lines Written on a Bank of Scotland One Guinea Note] 93
[Address of Beelzebub] 94
A Dream. 97
The Brigs of Ayr. A Poem. 102
The Northern Lass. 110
Address to Edinburgh. 111
To a Haggis. 113
A Fragment. [There was a Lad] 115
[Inscribed around Fergusson's Portrait] 116
[Lines on Fergusson] 116
Written by Somebody on the Window of an Inn at Stirling
on Seeing the Royal Palace in Ruins. 117
Ca' the Ewes to the Knowes [First Version] 118
I Love My Jean. 120
O, Were I on Parnassus Hill 121
Tam Glen. 122
Auld Lang Syne. 124
Louis What Reck I by Thee. 125
Robin Shure in Hairst. 126
Nine Inch Will Please a Lady. 127
Afton Water. 128
[Epistle to Dr Blacklock] 129
On Captn. Grose's present peregrinations through Scotland collecting the antiquities of that kingdom 131
My Love She's but a Lassie Yet. 133
My Heart's in the Highlands. 134
John Anderson my Jo. 135
Tam o' Shanter. A Tale. 136
The Banks o' Doon. 143
Ae Fond Kiss. 144
Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation. 145
The De'il's Awa wi' th' Exciseman. 146
Highland Mary 147
The Rights of Woman 148
Why Should Na Poor People Mow 150
Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad. 151
Ode [for General Washington's Birthday] 152
Bruce to his Troops on the Eve of the Battle of Bannock-burn. 154
Act Sederunt o' the Court o' Session. 155
A Red Red Rose. 156
Ca' the Yowes to the Knowes [Second Version] 157
For a' that and a' that. 158
The Dumfries Volunteers. 160
The Heron Ballads I 162
To the Tooth-Ach. 164
[Oh Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast] 166
The Solemn League and Covenant 167
The Selkirk Grace. 167
Tam Lin. 168
Comin thro' the Rye. 174
Charlie He's my Darling. 175
The Trogger. 176
The Tree of Liberty. 177
REDISCOVERED POEMS
The Rediscovered Poems in this Book 183
Logie o' Buchan 187
I Courted a Lassie 188
My Steps Fate on a Mad Conjuncture Thrust 189
Here is to the king, Sir 191
Tho' Life's Gay Scenes Delight No More 192
PROSE
Five Extracts from Burns's First Commonplace Book, 1783-85 195
Preface [To Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, 1786] 198
Dedication [To Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, 1787] 200
Extract from Burns's Journal of his Border Tour 201
Letter to Dr John Moore, 2 August 1787 202
Letter to Agnes McLehose, 19 January 1788 213
Letter to Agnes McLehose, 25 January 1788 215
Letter to Robert Ainslie, 3 March 1788 216
Extract from a Letter to Burns from Agnes McLehose 217
Letter to Dr John Moore, 4 January 1789 219
Extract from a Letter to Mrs Frances Dunlop of Dunlop, 12 January 1795 221
Letter to James Armour, 10 July 1796 222
Notes 223
Index of Titles 265
Index of First Lines of Poems 269