Burns and the Altar of Independence: a question of authentication

Scott, P. and Carruthers, G. (2022) Burns and the Altar of Independence: a question of authentication. Studies in Scottish Literature, 48(2), pp. 199-206. (doi: 10.51221/suc.ssl.2023.48.2.15)

Abstract

Describes and illustrates the only known manuscript of Robert Burns's short 'Poetical Inscription for an Altar to Independence'; notes ongoing disputes over the authenticity of several other of Burns's political poems from the 1790s; traces the manuscript's provenance from the Kern sale in 1929 (when it was cataloged as genuine) to Sotheby's in 1982 (when it was cataloged as a forgery), to its current location in the J.M.Shaw Collection, Florida State University Libraries, where more recent internal records catalogue it as authentic; points out evidence confirming its authenticity; and provides the first collation of the manuscript against the text published by James Currie in 1800.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Carruthers, Professor Gerard and Scott, Professor Patrick
• Authors: Scott, P., and Carruthers, G.
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PE English
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies ; College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Scottish Literature
• Journal Name: Studies in Scottish Literature
• Journal Abbr.: SSL
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Libraries
• ISSN: 0039-3770
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 University of South Carolina Press
• First Published: First published in Studies in Scottish Literature 48(2):199-206
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
173717		Editing Robert Burns for the 21st Century: Correspondence & Poetry	Gerard Carruthers	Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)	AH/P004946/1	Arts - Scottish Literature