The Other Burns
19th Century Scottish Chapbooks and the mysterious Robert Burns of Hamilton
The Other Burns
19th Century Scottish Chapbooks and the mysterious Robert Burns of Hamilton
18th and 19th Century Street Literature and the Phenomenon of Chapbooks in Scotland
The chapbook was a medium of significant import in the spreading of literature during the 18th and 19th centuries. The small, 8 page booklets were one of many forms of street literature that were sold througout the United States, England and Scotland. The chapbooks were sold on the streets by vendors for only a penny, a cost that was reflective of the low quality production of the books. These booklets, based on cost and format, were widely considered to be part of working class literature, and the material present within them was usually dictated by this characterization.
The content of the chapbooks in Scotland varied, possessing a wide variety of poems, songs, tales and other information within them. Material from folk tales and music that was reproduced by some of the most popular writers of the time would often be reprinted and distributed throughout the country.
The publishers Brash and Reid are responsible for the production of the chapbook that has been digitized on this site. The company came into existence in 1790 and became one of the most successful chapbook producers in Scotland over the following two decades. Brash and Reid reproduced a great deal of material from Robert Burns of Ayrshire, who had quickly become Scotland's preeminent poet, transcending class appeal.
The nature of the chapbook industry was determined by the necessity to produce new material to keep sales high. With that, Brash and Reid had a penchant for altering or duplicating the works of Robert Burns, hoping to capitalize on his popularity further. This is, in part, where Robert Burns of Hamilton recieved some attention.
Sources:
Dunnigan, Sarah and Suzanne Gilbert. The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Traditional Literatures. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh Press, 2013.
Newman, Steve. “Ballads and Chapbooks”. In The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Romanticism. Edited by Murray Pittock. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh Press, 2011.
Shepard, Leslie. The History of Street Literature. Detroit: Singing Tree Press, 1973
A depiction of a vendor of street literature. Image provided by the British Library