Smith, John (1753 — 1833)

The firm subscribed for twelve copies of the 1787 edition of Burns's poems, and apparently ordered a further nine copies. Burns wrote to John Smith Junior from Mauchline on 18^th July 1788: 'I recd pr the Mauchline Carrier 11 19sh I as mentioned in yours of the 16^th Curnt — I cannot lay my hand on the Account, but I suppose the nine copies sent from Kilmarnock are not included in this payment — I only mention this en passant; but I will probably be in Glasgow in a month or two myself.'

However, Burns was again writing to Smith on 17^th June 1789 still seeking payment 'of the nine copies of my book not yet accounted for'.

The firm also acted as agents for the distribution of subscriber's copies, for which service they charged only five percent. According to the history of the firm A Short Note on a Long History, when the poet heard of the modesty of the charge he his said to have exclaimed: 'You seem a decent sort of folk, you Glasgow booksellers, but, eh, they're sair birkies in Edinburgh'.