Baltimore, U. S. A.
Minor Queries.
313. _"The Don," a Poem._--This is an old work illustrative of the local
antiquities, ancient families, castles, &c., on the banks of the Don, in
Aberdeenshire. It is said to have been written during the usurpation of
Oliver Cromwell by a Mr. Forbes of Brux, in the immediate neighbourhood.
One of the ablest of our local antiquaries states, that he has never
been able to satisfy himself of the existence of any edition of that
poem earlier than that of the quarto one of 1742, which seems to have
been reprinted from an edition of the year 1655; but is so thoroughly
redolent of the spirit of a later age, that it is not possible to
believe it to have been written in the seventeenth century. All
subsequent editions (and they have been numerous) have reference to an
edition of 1655. In 1655, it is said to have been originally written by
a Mr. Forbes of Brux, as before stated, and published the same year,
with a few historical notes, and reprinted in 1674; and again in 1742,
with little or no alteration, and continued in that state until 1796;
when Mr. Charles Dawson, schoolmaster of Kemnay, added a few more notes,
and offered it to the public as his own composition in a small 12mo.
pamphlet!!! price 4_d._; which met with such encouragement, that a
second edition appeared in 1798, with more copious notes, price 6_d._ An
enlarged edition in 8vo. was published in Edinburgh in 1814. In 1819,
Mr. Peter Buchan of Peterhead, the editor of _Scottish Ballads_,
_Gleanings of Scarce Old Ballads_, &c. &c., published an edition, price
6_d._, which sold well; and in 1849, another edition was printed at the
Hattonian Press, Fintray, Aberdeenshire, by John Cumming. I should be
glad to hear if any of your correspondents have seen an edition of 1655
or 1674?