On the evening of August 13, I left Manchester and arrived late in Edinburgh during the fringe festival – a nearly obscene event schedule of dance, theater, comedy, music, and film. The streets were packed with viewers moving between venues and cafés and bars (they do this all day for three weeks?!?).
My room was just a few blocks away from the library so I explored the city in the morning before my 3pm appointment. Walking up their stairwell covered in plates of information, I learned that William Smellie edited the first copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica in Edinburgh – Edinburgh has a historical hive of thinkers.
There I met with Anette Hagan (Rare Books and Music curator) and Andrew Martin (Literature and the Arts curator). They, being curators, had selected some of their oldest and newest acquisitions.
May we all be poets.
Perhaps this digression comes from my hosts combination of presenting me with historical printing promoting personal study in 16th century Scotland and the free expression of contemporary Scottish books.
Sadly, I did not take notes of the authors of the contemporary books. But here are some images of books by Scottish artists or referencing Scotland in some way.
An embossed alphabet book of ecological plight.
A beautifully etched accordion book – I loved at the different grasses featured in the landscape.
A poem on gorgeous handmade paper.
What I haven't yet mentioned was my favorite experience during this visit: hearing Andrew recite a poem in Scots (about two crows!). I tried recording it with my phone but the quality doesn't merit posting. English and Scots are sister languages derived from Anglosaxon (Anglosaxon and Gaelic are two distinct languages).
Storum=a storm that happens at the wrong time of year.
There were more, but my notes are too slow for the wonderful litany of sound they shared. But I have just ordered a book Andrew suggested by James Robertson: Smoky Smirr O Rain- a Scots anthology.
That is, my Addendum will be stored with the incunabula -Inc-(first printed books published between 1455 and 1500). Very satisfying position!
← John Rylands library received Addendum, Edition 33.