The Mountain Bard: Consisting of Ballads and Songs, Founded on Facts and Legendary Tales

1807

Special Collections – Hogg Collection PR4791 M68 1807

Edinburgh: Printed by J. Ballantyne for Arch. Constable and John Murray, London

During the 1960s and 70s, the Gilkison family of Dunedin gifted to the University of Otago Library numerous books by and manuscripts related to the Scottish poet James Hogg (1770-1835), widely known as the Ettrick Shepherd. Manuscript letters from John G. Lockhart, Thomas Pringle, and Sir Walter Scott sit with first and second editions, including The Spy, a rare volume. The Mountain Bard was Hogg’s first collection of poetry, and on Sir Walter Scott’s recommendation, it was published by Constable in February 1807. In an effort to complete our Hogg holdings, this first edition was obtained. Note the re-use of the engraving dated 1803 for the ‘Highland Heroism’ frontispiece.