SOURCE: MacDonald, Robert H. “Amendments to L. E. Kastner's Edition of Drummond's Poems.” Studies in Scottish Literature 7, nos. 1 & 2 (July-October 1969): 102-22.

In the following essay, MacDonald takes issue with L. E. Kastner's 1913 edition of Drummond's poetry, identifying manuscript poems that were not included in the collection and verses that were wrongly attributed to Drummond.

Introducing a selection of the unpublished poems of Drummond of Hawthornden, David Laing states the case for the responsible Victorian editor, a case for eclectic publication, selective, careful and moral.

The fair fame of many a Poet has suffered by the indiscriminate publication, in a posthumous form, either of unfinished productions, or of what was unsuited for public view. In this respect Drummond has shared the fate of other celebrated writers; and it would have been well for his reputation had his son, Sir William Drummond … been less careful in preserving every scrap of the...