This volume offers Burns's work as it was first encountered by contemporary readers, presenting the texts in the contexts in which they were originally published. It includes the whole of Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (1786), a generous selection of songs with full scores, comprehensive notes, some important letters and a glossary.

«Treasury of 43 works including: «The Cotter's Saturday Night», «To a Mountain Daisy», «To a Mouse», «To a Louse», «Tam o' Shanter», «Comin Thro' the Rye», «I m Oe'r Young to Marry Yet», «O, Lay Thy Loof in Mine, Lass», and «O, Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast». Alphabetical lists of titles and first lines. Extensive glossary.»