Robert Burns's Commonplace Book 1783-1785  Robert Burns's Commonplace Book 1783-1785 is the first of three commonplace books that were produced by the poet. The contents cover drafts of songs and poems, observations, ideas, epitaphs, etc.  Robert Burns's three Commonplace books, 1783 to 1785, a second 1787 to 1790 and a third 1789 to 1794. are personal compilations of early drafts of songs, prose and some poetry as well as observations on people, places and ideas. Copies of poetry, excerpts from books, quotations, moral, religious and philosophical, contemplative, etc. are included. Such books are unique to the author's particular interests and often include passages found in other texts accompanied by the compiler's comments. The term "Commonplace" derives from the Latin expression "locus communis" which translates as "a general or common topic". Generally the individual concerned collects material which have a common theme. Although they are private collections of information, they are not diaries. Keeping such a book was usually the pastime of the aristocracy with their ample leisure time, education and refinement. Another definition is :  ""..on its most basic level a blank book into which passages were transcribed from books and other thoughts, remarks, anecdotes, and occurences recorded. They existed primarily to record their owner's reading, acting as a filing system not only for the contents of the books that they had read, but also, commonly, for comments on their reading experience"". According to John Logan Lockhart, Gilbert Burns stated that the Commonplace book had originally been acquired with the intention of recording "farming memorandums" within its pages. This presumably refers to a now lost fourth Commonplace Book, probably started in 1784 at Mossgiel and used to note farming matters as well as drafts of original poems and songs, including notes on songs intended for James Johnson after 1788. Isabella Burns had a jotting-book used to record simple transactions by William Burness also had records by Robert. Isabella was in the habit of cutting out sections of the jotter for souvenir hunters who visited her at her Belleisle home. This may or may not have been distinct from the lost fourth Commonplace Book. The first entry is April 1783, a date at which the practically unknown 24 year old Burns was living at Lochlie Farm near Tarbolton, South Ayrshire. The last, incomplete entry, is for October 1785 by which time Burns was at Mossgiel Farm near Mauchline.