After the Scottish Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, nationalism in Scotland bloomed, and folklore, traditional songs, and ballads were collected as an important part of Scottish culture. Robert Chambers, a leading nineteenth-century publisher in Edinburgh (famous for Chambers Encyclopaedia and Dictionary), compiled and published various books of those traditional and popular songs of Scotland collected by his predecessors, together with the ones discovered in the nineteenth century. It became a valuable record of the traditional culture of Scotland. The present collection of four volumes consists of the three works of songs he published and—unlike various abridged versions published afterwards—this set includes all original editions in facsimile format, together with illustrations and scores of some of the songs. It provides scholars in the field with the most comprehensive source of Scottish songs and ballads.
