Editing James Hogg: some textual and bibliographical problems in Hogg's prose works

Abstract

James Hogg (1770-1835) was highly regarded as a writer during his lifetime, but after his death his reputation declined. During the nineteenth century Hogg's works were widely available in editions based on collections published shortly after his death by Blackie & Son of Glasgow. These editions were sadly inadequate, in particular with regard to Hogg's prose. They completely omitted several works of great merit for example, The Three Perils of Woman; and they printed thoroughly corrupt texts of a number of Hogg's major works - for example The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner. In recent years, more reliable editions of a number of Hogg's works have been published. This has encouraged a revival of interest in Hogg, and his reputation has increased substantially. A just estimate of the full range and depth of Hogg's achievement will only become possible, however, once the many remaining textual and bibliographical problems have been solved. The present thesis seeks to make a contribution to the completion of this task by providing a detailed examination of the textual problems presented by a number of Hogg's more important prose works; and by providing an annotated listing of all the surviving texts of Hogg's prose which are of interest to an editor.