The Works of Robert Burns with an Account of His Life, Criticism on His Writings, &c. (4 Volumes)

Burns, Robert (edited by James Currie)

Published by James Robertson, Edinburgh, 1819

1819. New edition in four volumes. xii, 370pp.; xxv, 476pp; xvi, 416pp.; xxvii, 412pp; and a total of 24 engraved plates, including a frontispiece portrait of Burns in volume 1. This is an early edition of James Currie's collection of the works of Robert Burns, together with an account of his life and criticism of the works. James Currie (1756-1805) was a Scottish physician and an admirer of Burns's poetry and met him once in Dumfries. When 'The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Burns: With Explanatory and Glossarial Notes; And a Life of the Author' was first published in four volumes in 1800, it met with immediate success and second, third and fourth editions were published in 1801-3. In addition to containing revised versions of Burns' songs such as "The Battle of Sherramuir", it also contains an introductory criticism and an essay on the character and condition of the Scottish peasantry. The work remains an authoritative source, but not without criticism. The four volumes have been professionally rebacked with new leather spines and gold titling on a leather label with five raised bands on the spines. The contemporary marbled paper covered boards have been retained. The cases of the books are in very good condition with expected shelf wear and some soiling to the boards. The contents are tight and clean apart from a few small marks and some scattered foxing. The foxing is mostly very light although the frontispiece and title-page to volume 1 and some of the plates and facing pages are more heavily affected. There is a bookplate on the front fixed endpaper of volume 1 and a set of initials written on the top corner of the second front free endpaper in all volumes. PLEASE NOTE: This is a heavy set weighing over 2.5 Kg. and extra postage will be required. Seller Inventory # gScotPoetRB06

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Works of Robert Burns with an Account of...
Publisher: James Robertson, Edinburgh
Publication Date: 1819
Binding: Half Leather Hardback
Condition: Very Good
Edition: New Edition