List of books for the "Famous Scots Series"
Introduction This is a list of books published as the "Famous Scots Series" by the Edinburgh publishers, Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, from 1896 to 1905.Forty-two of these books were published though least one volume in the series was planned but never published. These books are distinctive for their bright red covers and uniform presentation. They are generally of a quite high scholarly quality. The authors often had access to biographical material which is no longer available. Two versions of each volume were published. An upmarket version has gilded lettering and motifs on the front cover and has gilt tape as book marker. It is about a quarter of inch longer than the ordinary version which is gilded only on the edge.Thirty-three of the authors were men and five were women. It appears that all the women were educated at home, presumably by tutors or governesses. Three of the women wrote biographies of Robert Louis Stevenson, namely, Margaret Moyes Black, Rosaline Masson and Eve Blantyre Simpson.Front cover of ''Thomas Carlyle'', no. 1 in the series. The plain version of the bookNoTitleAuthorDateNotes1'''''Thomas Carlyle'''''Hector C. MacphersonFeb 1896  A biography by Macpherson's son states that "his volume on Carlyle, which appeared in February 1896, was the first of the 'Famous Scots' Series. "2'''''Allan Ramsay'''''Oliphant SmeatonMarch 1896There is a copy of this book signed by "Daniel K. Campbell" and dated by him "March 1896".3'''''Hugh Miller'''''W. Keith LeaskMarch 18964'''''John Knox'''''A. Taylor InnesMay 18965'''''Robert Burns'''''Gabriel SetounJun 1896"Gabriel Setoun" is the ''nom de plume'' of Thomas Nicoll Hepburn.6'''''The Balladists'''''John GeddieJul 1896;Balladists including:'''Thomas the Rhymer, Robert Henryson,  Lady Wardlaw, Lady Nairne, Lady Anne Barnard, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott''', etc.7'''''Richard Cameron'''''John HerklessOct 18968'''''Sir James Y. Simpson'''''Eve Blantyre SimpsonOct 18969'''''Thomas Chalmers'''''W. Garden BlaikieDec 189610'''''James Boswell'''''W. Keith LeaskDec 189611'''''Tobias Smollett'''''Oliphant SmeatonFeb 189712'''''Fletcher of Saltoun'''''G.W.T. OmondMar 189713'''''The “Blackwood” Group'''''Sir George DouglasApr 1897This group includes '''John Wilson, John Galt, D. M. Moir, Susan Ferrier, Michael Scott, and Thomas Hamilton. '''14'''''Norman Macleod''''' John WellwoodApr 189715'''''Sir Walter Scott'''''George SaintsburyJun 189716'''''Kirkcaldy of Grange'''''Louis A. BarbéOct 189717'''''Robert Fergusson'''''A. B. GrosartJan 189818'''''James Thomson'''''William BayneJan 189819'''''Mungo Park'''''T. Banks MaclachlanMar 189820 '''''David Hume'''''Henry CalderwoodFeb 189821'''''William Dunbar'''''Oliphant SmeatonApr 189822'''''Sir William Wallace'''''A. F. MurisonJun 189823'''''Robert Louis Stevenson'''''Margaret Moyes BlackAug 189824'''''Thomas Reid'''''A. Campbell FraserFeb 189825'''''Pollok and Ayton'''''Rosaline MassonNov 189826'''''Adam Smith'''''Hector C. MacphersonFeb 189927'''''Andrew Melville'''''William MorisonJul 189928'''''James Frederick Ferrier'''''E. S. HaldaneMay? 1899E. S. Haldane's full name is Elizabeth Sanderson Haldane29'''''King Robert the Bruce'''''A. F. MurisonJul 189930'''''James Hogg'''''Sir George DouglasSep 1899Also included are short biographies of the poets '''Robert Tannahill''', '''William Motherwell''', and '''William Thom'''31'''''Thomas Campbell'''''J. Cuthbert HaddenOct 189932'''''George Buchanan'''''Robert WallaceDec 1899Completed by J. Campbell Smith.33'''''Sir David Wilkie and the Scots school of painters'''''Edward PinningtonJan? 1900These include: '''Allan Ramsay (artist), James Tassie, David Allan, Sir Henry Raeburn, Sir William Allan, Sir Noel Paton''' etc.34'''''The Erskines'''''A. R. MacEwenApr 1900They are the brothers: '''Ebenezer and Ralph Erskine. '''35'''''Thomas Guthrie'''''Oliphant SmeatonMay 190036'''''David Livingstone'''''T. Banks MaclachlanJan? 190137'''''The Academical Gregories'''''Agnes Grainger StewartApr 1901These include''': John Gregory, James Gregory, William Gregory,''' etc. The book outlines the lives of twelve Gregories from 1638–185838'''''Johnston of Warriston'''''William MorisonMay 190139'''''Henry Drummond'''''James Y. SimpsonOct 1901The author's father was nephew of his namesake, James Young Simpson, the discoverer of chloroform.40'''''Principal Cairns''''' John CairnsMar 1903John Cairns (1857-1922) was the nephew of Principal Cairns.41'''''Viscount Dundee'''''Louis A. Barbé190342'''''James Watt'''''Andrew Carnegie1905The year 1905 is mentioned on page 28 of the book where Carnegie states: "Even in 1905 we have still a far road to travel. "No more books in this series were published, as is evidenced by the following report in the New York Times in 1904:"LONDON, Sept. 16.-- Andrew Carnegie has written a little book on James Watt, the great engineer. It will be the concluding volume of the Famous Scots Series, published by Messrs. Oliphant, Anderson Ferrier."
External links * Books from the Famous Scots Series in Project Gutenberg
References