Burnsiana: A Bibliography of the William R. Smith Collection in the Library of the Supreme Council, 33^○, S.J.

Citation

Baker, W. (2009), "Burnsiana: A Bibliography of the William R. Smith Collection in the Library of the Supreme Council, 33^○, S.J.", Library Review, Vol. 58 No. 8, pp. 625-627. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530910987154

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns in 2009, the Masonic Temple, the Supreme Council of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, based in Washington, DC has produced a bibliography of its William R. Smith Burnsiana Collection. Oak Knoll have acted as distributors of the 8.5 × 11 inch book replete with small black and white reproductions of mainly engravings and paintings (these are listed on [135]‐139: “Illustration/Engraving Credits”).

It must be said at the onset that the review copy provided by Oak Knoll is curiously wanting. According to the detailed “Contents” listing, the book consists of a “Foreword,” “Acknowledgements,” and a very informative account by Robert Cooper, Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library, dated May 2008, of “Brother Robert Burns (1759‐1796)” – in other words Burns as a Mason ([xix]‐lv). This is followed by Kevin Stone Fries’ interesting “A Dream of Liberty: William Robertson Smith and His Rediscovery of Robert Burns” ([lvii]‐lxiv). Smith (1828‐1912), an eminent botanist and horticulturalist, seems to have emigrated to America in the early 1850s. Smith developed a reputation “as a prominent resident of” Washington and as a book collector. So much so that he became connected with the immensely wealthy magnate Andrew Carnegie, “obtained Carnegie's financial backing,” and consequently with such deeply lined pockets behind him “was able to refine his selection of Burns material to illustrate a community of thought beyond Masonry” (lviii‐lix).

The brief “Technical Introduction for Burnsiana” (lxv‐lxvi) claims that the William Robertson Smith Collection of Burnsiana in the House of the Temple Library is a unique entity both by content of material and quantity of items in its composition. The catalogue which follows excludes Smith's scrapbooks, “volumes which have no connection with Burns beyond the mere mention of his name” and includes only “the items of Burnsiana.” An exception is made with the inclusion of “Chapbooks.” Engravings depicting Burns’ images and Scottish scenes close to the bard are included, too.

There are four sections. In the initial chapter “The Literary Works of Robert Burns,” his writings are listed in “chronological order of their publication.” Within this list alphabetical title order is followed. In the case of undated works, arrangement is by geographical order, or publication place “followed in alphabetical order by publisher” ([lxv]‐lxvi]). Chapter 1 (7‐57) contains 641 items encompassing the years 1787 to 1911 (7‐50), items 1‐534. Then there are “Undated Editions,” beginning with those published in Amsterdam and concluding with two items having a publication place (50‐57). Descriptions include title, author, place of publication, the number of pages, some indication of content, dimensions (it is unclear whether these are of the title page, the illustration frequently of Burns is reduced in size, accompanying illustrations) and in some instances, a brief account of the book.

The second chapter “Works about Robert Burns” in the collection (61‐91) is “arranged in alphabetical order by author and title, accompanied by a short citation from the publication which characterizes the tone and style of exposition” (lxvi). One hundred and eighty items are noted: the lack of a dating index disguises the fact that no writings about Burns beyond the early years of the last century are recorded.

Chapter three lists “Literary Works about Scotland” in the collection (95‐105). The name Burns is the focus and the chapter is arranged alphabetically by author and title. It begins with “Adamson, Archibald R. Rambles through the Land of Burns” published by Dunlop & Drennan, in Kilmarnock in 1879 (95). The last recorded work is William Wylie's Ayrshire Streams, or, Scenes, Characters and Tradition of the West Country, London: Arthur Hall, Virtue & Co., 1851. Unfortunately, there is no illustration. Virtue & Co. publications contain delightful illustrations most indicative of their period (105).

The fourth chapter “Chapbooks” (109‐131) contains 241 items and is accompanied by what must be a reduced sized reproduction of an engraving from Old London Street Cries and the Cries of To‐day published in London in 1885. This item does not seem to be included in the alphabetically arranged by title listing of the chapbooks.

The problem with the review copy sent to me by the distributors Oak Knoll is that page 111 is followed by the “Geographical Index” to the first chapter ([143]‐155). There is then a “Publisher Index” to the first chapter ([157]‐161), a Publisher Index to the second chapter ([163]‐165) and the third and fourth chapters ([167]‐170).

This is followed by a reproduction, although without size indication or its location, in the Bibliography, of “the drawing by J. Stanley From the last page to The Cottar's Saturday Night. New York: Fleming H. Revell, n/d” ([171?]). This is all very confusing. The incorrectly leaved chapbook listing then continues from items 28 through to 241 (111‐131). My copy concludes with a listing of “Illustration/Engraving Credits” (135‐139), “the Frontispiece by J. Stanley to The Cottar's Saturday Night” ([140?]) and a recto page with the word “Index” printed on it.

This is unfortunate. Clearly something has gone amiss in the production stage of Larissa P. Watkins’ bibliography. Neither she nor the Masons seem to have been well served by the redistributors and producers of the volume. Essentially Burnsiana is a pleasant memento to an interesting nineteenth century collection that seems not to have been added to since the collector, William R. Smith's death in 1912.

The publication announced from the Oak Knoll Press claims that Smith's collection is unparalleled and that “it is the second largest compilation of Burns materials in the world, ranking only behind the collection maintained in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, Scotland.” The announcement further claims that “In terms of American material about Burns, the library of Supreme Council” in Washington “has the world's largest collection.”

These are contentious claims, especially as the collection appears to be frozen in time. The G. Ross Roy collection at the Thomas Cooper Library at the University of South Carolina, Columbia has a Kilmarnock edition not found in the William R. Smith Collection. In addition, it has the unique Merry Muses, original manuscripts and probably five times as many editions of Burns than these listed in the Smith Collection. The publication of its catalogues published by the University of South Carolina Press and the Thomas Cooper Library in April 2009, complied by Elizabeth Sudduth's introduction and annotation by the eminent Burns scholar and collector G. Ross Roy and colour illustrations, is eagerly awaited. Some idea of its riches may be gleaned from the 51 page Robert Burns: An Exhibition February 1971 Catalogue and introductory note by G. Ross Roy held at the Swen Franken Parson Library and Northern Illinois University. Of course, the Ross Roy Collection has been recently augmented during the remaining years of the twentieth century and opening decade of the following one.