Robert Burns and the Kilmarnock Edition

Yesterday I was in Kilmarnock and my BlipFoto was of Sir John Shaw's statue. As my commentary stated, he used his wealth to support the orphaned children of Robert Burns.

It was on 31 July, 1786 that John Wilson of Kilmarnock published 612 copies of Burns Poems, "Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect". They sold out within a month. First editions are now very rare. In 2002 one sold for £40,000. I am unaware of any more recent sales.

This photograph on the left is of a copy of the Kilmarnock Edition produced from 1935. Beside it, are some depictions of Robert Burns as seen by a variety of artist including the most famous likeness by Alexander Nasmyth (centre).

The original Kilmarnock edition was published in an attempt to raise enough funds for Burns to emigrate. He was not making enough money from his farm in Ayrshire and a local lawyer suggested Burns publish some poems to pay for passage to Jamaica. He never did emigrate, but the publication led to his fame if not his fortune.

Many years ago I helped fund my university studies by acting the role of Burns at weekends in a Hotel in Ayrshire. Through my mother's line, I am a very distant relation of Burns, and also of his teacher Hugh Roger (hence my Christian name)