The Mercat Anthology of Early Scottish Literature 1375-1707

This large-scale anthology of early Scottish Literature, now revised, has been designed as a teaching text for use by school and university students. Longer works are either presented complete – e.g. James I, King is Quair; as long extracts with explanatory linking passages – e.g. Urquhart, The Jewel; or by sections which sum up the main themes and concerns of the text-e.g. Barbour's Bruce Book I. There are full critical and linguistic introductions; brief biographical and bibliographical introductions for each author or sub-section; the texts have all been re-edited; every difficult word is glossed, and full explanatory notes appear at the foot of each page. A substantial Appendix presents texts in Latin, Scots, English and Gaelic from the seventeenth century, demonstrating the vitality and interaction of these voices within the Scottish tradition. A noteworthy feature of the book is Professor Jack's Critical Introduction, 'Where Stands Scottish Literature Now?' This challenges many widely-held assumptions about Scottish literature. In particular it seeks to explore the reasons behind the strange neglect of the writers of the seventeenth century.