Robert Burns wrote, collected and adapted countless bawdy ballads for circulation among his friends for their private entertainment. After his death, a volume was printed containing such items and for many years only one copy of it was known to remain in existence. The first published edition of ‘The merry Muses of Caledonia’ appeared as far as it is known in 1800. This edition bore the legend ‘For use of the Crochallan Fencibles’ (a convivial club for gentlemen based in Edinburgh). Various other editions have been published since then, including this illustrated one.