Watson, James
A Choise Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems
Edinburgh: James Watson, 1713-1709-1711. 3 volumes in 1. 8vo, second edition of volume 1, first editions of volumes 2 and 3, 20th century crushed black morocco gilt elaborately tooled with thistle motifs to boards by Orrock and Son, bookplate of Andrew Smith of Whitchester
One of the most important books in the development of Scottish poetry; its publication marks the beginning of the revival in Scots vernacular poetry, the course of which can be followed in the eighteenth century through Ramsay, Fergusson and Burns. It encouraged Ramsay to publish his two collections, The Tea Table Miscellany, and the Ever Green, which, along with this collection, was Burns's main source for the older Scottish poets. At the end of the third part it states "The end of the First Volume" but nothing further was published.