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Edited by Frank R. Shaw, FSA Scot, Greater Atlanta, GA, USA
Email: jurascot@earthlink.net
Note from Alastair McIntyre. I
found this book
'In Ayrshire" A Descriptive Picture of the
County of Ayr with relative notes on interesting local subjects, by
William Scott Douglas, Editor of 'The Kilmarnock Edition" of Burns
(1874) (pdf) and in it I found
the hand written note saying "Contains much information on Burns & his
associations & is valuable to the Burns Student. by J Williamson,
Meadowfield. I thus thought I'd add this to Frank's collection of
stories about Robert Burns.
In Ayrshire
By William
Scott Douglas, Editor of 'The Kilmarnock Edition" of Burns (1874)
PREFACE
IN venturing to give this first of three
instalments of a promised undertaking to the reading public, the writer
may be expected to say a word or two in shape of preface. He believes
that the Publisher's first intention in projecting this little work was
both modest and plausible. His thoughts being ever occupied with the
affairs of his native shire, and the writings of and concerning its
deathless minstrel, it occurred to him that a lively abridgement of the
latest Statistical Account of the various parishes in the county might
be made a very "handy book," and at same time a desirably interesting
one, if its writer, in traversing that classic ground, would, while
never losing sight of WALLACE and BRUCE, seize every opportunity of
saying something about BURNS.
The exercise of his pen in the latter
direction being quite congenial to the present writer's tastes and
habitudes, he was easily persuaded to enter on the work; but he
little dreamed of the amount of dry and wearing routine he was doomed to
encounter in pursuing the plan prescribed. Restricted in regard to
space, he had to cram loads of dreary topography and statistics into
small compass, as a background on which to shape more pleasurable
objects of contemplation. Only thus could he introduce scenes and
incidents attractive by their own intrinsic interest and perennial
freshness. The district of Cunninghame being chosen as the
starting-place, his best efforts were often tasked to infuse some degree
of life into his materials; for only in Kilmarnock, Loudoun, Irvine, and
Dunlop could he manage to introduce "Burnsiana" in any measure. Where
that failed, he had to betake himself to the graves of the Covenanters
not irreverently he trusts, and when these were wanting, a ballad, a
witch-story, or some vague tradition had to do service in beguiling the
more fatiguing portions of his tour.
Having at length "squared the circle" of the
northern division of the county, the writer trusts that the Publisher
may meet with encouragement to complete the plan by soon producing
similar sketches of each parish in Kyle, and in Carrick. In these
districts the harvest of themes possessing more than local interest is
more abundant than in Cunninghame; and should circumstances prevent the
present writer from resuming this work, competent labourers shall not be
wanting to give the finishing grace to what has by him been so
imperfectly begun.
EDINBURGH, 17th Nov., 1874.
Read the book "In
Ayrshire" in pdf format |
