The Poetry and Drama of Allan Ramsay

Allan Ramsay (1684–1758) is a key figure in Scottish cultural history. His collections of Scottish poetry were received with great acclaim, and did much to establish the status of Scots as a literary language – inspiring later writers such as Robert Fergusson, Robert Burns, and James Hogg. His Tea-Table Miscellany is a foundational collection of Romantic song, and his play The Gentle Shepherd, first published in 1725, was reprinted more than one hundred times and was regularly performed around the world for nearly two centuries. He also founded Britain’s first circulating library; Edinburgh’s Academy of St Luke, Britain’s first Art School; and Scotland’s first permanent theatre.

Ramsay’s impact on Scottish culture spans a variety of subject areas, including Drama, English, History, and Music. This Scotnote takes an interdisciplinary approach and allows pupils, teachers, and interested readers to see the cross-subject links and to use the suggested activities to build a more comprehensive view of Ramsay’s life and work.