Scope and Contents The "First Commonplace Book" of Robert Burns is the earliest collected work written by the poet. Written before he achieved national status following the publication of 'Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect' (1786), Burns himself explained the need to create the volume, hoping that after his death it would fall into the hands of someone who would appreciate their value.The "First Commonplace Book" contains some of Burns's earliest surviving work and contains examples of Burns's...