The Gentle Sheperd. A Pastoral Comedy by Allan Ramsay. With a life of the author

New York: William Gowans, 1852. 8vo. lxxv, 3, x, 105 pp. plus a 1p. list of the works of Allan Ramsay, 24 pp. Catalogue of Scottish Poets, and 4pp. list of books published by William Gowans. Illustrated with an engraved portrait of Ramsey by H. B. Hall after a drawing by the poet's son Allan Ramsay. Bound in original green ribbed cloth, decorated with Gowans' printers mark of a Carrier Pigeon in gilt on the upper board and in blind on the lower board. Bright and clean copy. Allan Ramsay's The Gentle Sheperd was originally published in 1725 went through numerous editions during the 18th century and reached icon stature as a symbol of the rustic Scottish countryside and pastoral life. In this edition Gowans used the standard text first printed in 1728 by Thomas Ruddiman and adopted by Andrew Foulis for his edition of 1788. In the "Preface" Gowans provides a short publishing history of Ramsay's work and carefully considers the additions that publishers contributed to the work during the 18th century. For his 1852 edition Gowans adds a life of the author by William Tennant, an essay on the poem by Lord Woodhoouselee, and critical opinions of the The Gentle Sheperd by twelve English authors including Hugh Blair, Joseph Ritson, Thomas Campbell and Leigh Hunt. He also adds a list of Ramsay published works, a glossary of Scottish terms used in the poem, and an unpriced catalogue of 475 items listing the works of Scottish poets over the ages. Gowans includes annotations to some books in this list that suggest a thorough understanding of Scottish Poetry and it place in English literature. William Gowans (1803-1870), Scottish émigré to the United States, was to become one of most important booksellers of his generation. From his offices on Fulton Street and then Nassau Street in New York City, Gowans became the source for many private collectors who were to transform the rare book scene in the United States and ultimately build collections that became part of the extraordinary growth of the American library system in the 19th century. For a bio-bibliography of Gowans see Roger Stoddard, "Put a Resolute Hart to a Steep Hill": William Gowans Antiquarian Bookseller". New York: At the Book Arts Press, Columbia University,1990.