Bannatyne Club,

Bannatyne Club, a literary club deriving its name from George Bannatyne (1545–1608), a native of Forfarshire, and burgess of Edinburgh, to whose manuscript, compiled during the pestilence of 1568, we are indebted for the preservation of much of the Scottish poetry of the 15th and 16th centuries. The Bannatyne Club was instituted in Edinburgh in 1823 by Sir Walter Scott, with the assistance chiefly of David Laing of the Signet Library, Archibald Constable, and Thomas Thomson. Its object was to print rare works illustrative of Scottish history, topography, poetry, miscellaneous literature, &c., in a uniform and handsome manner, either at the expense of the club, or as the contributions of individual members. The club originally consisted of 31 members only, who paid an annual contribution of five guineas; but, owing to the anxiety of many eminent men to become members, the number was gradually extended to 100. Its first president was Sir Walter Scott, who was succeeded by Thomas Thomson, and Lords Cockburn and Rutherford; and its first secretary was David Laing, who continued to its close to discharge the duties of the office. The club had annual meetings in December, which seem to have been of a very convivial character. The club was dissolved in 1861. Since its commencement it numbered among its members many of the most distinguished Scotsmen, and printed 116 works, some valuable as they are rare, and all fetching high prices at sales. A complete set was sold in 1887 for £235.