Picture of Robert Burns from title page of the Edinburgh edition of Burn's Poems (1787). The engraved portrait of Burns is by Nasmythe.

Samuel M. Lindsay Collection on Robert Burns In June 1958, Reverend Samuel M. Lindsay, a longtime friend and supporter of Davidson College, donated his collection of Robert Burns poetry to the library. At the time, Reverend Lindsay's collection was considered one of the largest and finest personal collections of Robert Burns poetry in America. Born in the same town as Robert Burns, Lindsay spent his childhood in Ayr, Scotland. He graduated from Andover - Newton in Boston and received his Doctor of Divinity degree from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine and Staley College in Boston.

Lindsay eventually served as Professor of Preaching at Boston University School of Theology for several years before becoming pastor of Euclid Avenue Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He also served as a minister to churches in Massachusetts, New York, and Florida. Lindsay was regarded as an authority on Robert Burns and spent his lifetime collecting early editions of Burns' works.