The book was found in the attic of a priest's house in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1980. Fyvie is located on the River Ythan and has a magnificent castle which is managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Also found at this location was this delightful ballad about the ill-fated romance between Agnes Smith (the daughter of the Miller of Tifty) and Andrew Lammie (the trumpeter at Fyvie Castle) called "Mill o' Tifty's Annie".

The book is in two parts, the first, "Ascanius: or, the Young Adventurer" containing 112 pages; and the second, "Journal of the Miraculous Escape of the Young Chevalier" containing 114 pages (last two are missing and contain the rest of the Ballad of Jemmy Dawson). Book I is attributed to Ralph Griffiths and Book II to John Burton. It is 17cm x 10.5 cm.

There are now eleven copies in the collection and more can be found in the Ascanius Blog. We have versions of the book printed by Martin in 1804, Ogle of Edinburgh in 1812, two almost identical 1890 versions (one has green covers the other red) both printed by Houlston and Sons the second sold by W.S. Sime, a French first edition from Geneva printed in 1747, and First Edition Smith (published in December 1746) and Johnston of 1746. Our latest acquisitions are published by T. Brown in 1802, Paisley - Weir & M^cLean in 1769, and a George and Robert King 1843 edition.

Although missing any information regarding the publisher or date the first page shows other titles available from Archibald Constable & Co. Archibald Constable was a publisher in Edinburgh, Scotland at the beginning of the 19th century. Among the books listed are:

"Manual of Mineralogy" by Robert Jameson a professor at the University of Edinburgh (tutor of Charles Darwin) which was published in 1821.

"General View of the Structure, Functions and Classifications of Animals" by John Fleming which was published in 1822.

"The Conchology of Great Britain and Ireland" by Thomas Brown who was a fellow of the Linnaean Society.

"Elements of Zoology; an Introduction to the Natural History of the Animal Kingdom" also by Thomas Brown.

"An Introduction to Merchandize" by Robert Hamilton a professor at Marischal College, Aberdeen which was published in 1777/99.

Drawn by D. Allan

Vide Page 12

Engraved by R. Scott

Battle of Prestonpans

Described on pages 10 to 13 of Ascanius.

Described on pages 39 to 45 of Ascanius

Described on pages 76 to 82 of Ascanius

Described on pages 76 to 82 of Ascanius

Described on pages 76 to 82 of Ascanius

Described on pages 76 to 82 of Ascanius

Drawn by A. Carse

Page 118

Engraved by R. Scott

meeting DONALD McLEOD after

the Battle of Culloden

W. Allan Dec.

J. Thomson Sculp.

See Page 154

Parting of Flora with Ascanius