This volume serves as a comprehensive educational resource designed to introduce students to the breadth and depth of Scottish literary tradition. A. MacMillan compiles a curated selection of prose and poetry intended to foster an appreciation for the linguistic and cultural heritage of Scotland. The text functions as a pedagogical tool, organizing various works to demonstrate the evolution of Scottish writing styles and thematic concerns across different historical periods.

Educators and historians view this collection as a standard reference for mid-to-late 19th-century Scottish educational curricula. Readers frequently note the structured approach to language acquisition and the historical significance of the selected texts.