Happy Burns Night! The night of January 25 is celebrated in Scotland and by the Scottish at heart throughout the world to commemorate the life and work of Scotland’s National Poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796). The first Burns supper was in 1801. More than 200 years later, good food and readings of the poet’s work are all that’s needed for your own Burns night celebration. University of Idaho Library Special Collections holds an 1898 limited edition set of all of Robert Burns work which includes his poem that may be most familiar to U.S. readers.

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowan fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fitt,
Sin' auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

The limited edition set in Special Collections is illustrated with etchings, wood cuts, and maps. Burns was regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement and is said to have influenced the works of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Percy Bysshe Shelley.