Letter from Robert Burns to William Niven, 29 July 1780

Lochlee July 29 1780
not think I ever met with any entertaining than the agreeable 20th; the circumstances in it
placed, and yet seem to rise nature and tho' keenly satirical had indelicate. I shall not at present
criticism on it as I am deter(mine?) observations on the subject but I must first premise
are entirely my own, and consequently nay perhaps to an unpre(pared?)- of them may appear absurd:
to a Friend.
quality in the soul of man which incentives in the human mind ingredients in every thing
manly & c. the I call pride and not bad in itself; but,

joined --- part of the noblest -- or when mixed with corrupted & disingenuous inclinations, it enters largely into the composition of many vices. I do not think I can convey my notion of it to you better, than by analyzing some of the virtues in which it is most conspicuous. I look upon patience to be the posses-sing one's mind calmly in ruffling circumstances.

of lie and is either a natural or an acquired command of this you add a large portion of atoned you have my idea of again, a generous, frank, open and enlarged understanding; opinion the genuine virtue of or greatness of soul. Courage else than a long portion of with a throughlessness of dan
& counterbalanced with quality in its highest perf it is called rashness: there is ferocity which is sometimes nothing akin to the fromer. - you see that according to any absurd to say such a one person must have it in pretensions to human nature the ordinary acceptation of the aforementioned principle.

-lities such a render -- are some characters that may be said to be without pride in a great measure: there is particularly one may be said to be so which I have a great esteem for. The principal feature in this character is Indolence of temper: a man of this sort unless very much harassed is always easy & clam: he is not soon offended & the ruffled.

Key details

Archive number: NTS/02/25/BRN/01/03
Alt. number: 3.6029
Date: 29 July 1780
On display: No
Creator: Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient: Niven, William

Explore correspondence between the creator and recipient

Description

Letter from Robert Burns to William Niven, dated Lochlea, 29 July 1780. One of three letters written to William Niven.

William Niven had been at Hugh Roger's school in Kirkoswald when Burns was there in 1775, and who was afterwards a merchant in Maybole. This set of letters is dated from Lochlee (Lochlea) between July, 1780, and June, 1781, and are the earliest letters of Robert Burns in the National Trust for Scotland Collection.

This is the earliest of the surviving letters written by Robert Burns, written when was was 21 years old. Robert’s handwriting here differs greatly from the easily recognisable script of his later correspondence. Although the letter is difficult to read due to damage, it appears that Burns and Niven exchanged opinions regarding the nature of friendship.

Archive information

Place of creation

Lochlea

Themes

Hierarchy

Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
Letter from Robert Burns to William Niven, 29 July 1780

Caring for collections

A gift of £5 a month can help us ensure collections like the Robert Burns Collection receive ongoing care and are shared with as many people as possible.

Donate today