Broadside poem entitled 'The Earl of Buchan arriving in Scotland, to the Duchess of Gordon'

This poem begins: 'THOU beauteous Star whose silvery light / Enchanting came upon my youthful sight! / Ah! What a blaze has hid thy virgin rays, / Whilst I, in woods retir'd, have past my days!' The broadside was published in Edinburgh and is dated 17th February 1802. Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them. This poem, rich in classical imagery, appears to have been written in honour of Jane, Duchess of Gordon (1746-1812), by David Steuart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan (1742-1829). The Duchess of Gordon was famous for her beauty, and was also a renowned socialite and patron of the arts who counted Robert Burns (1759-1796) among her friends. The 11th Earl of Buchan was also noted for his cultural interests. He was a founder of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1780, and was a friend of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832).

Collection

Popular Print in Scotland, 1650-1850

Inventory Number

4502032

Title

Broadside poem entitled 'The Earl of Buchan arriving in Scotland, to the Duchess of Gordon'

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 217 x 270mm