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Draft letter from Robert Burns to the Earl of Eglinton, February 1787

Key details

Archive number
NTS/02/25/BRN/01/12
Alt. number
3.6038
Date
February 1787
On display
No
Creator
Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient
Montgomerie, Archibald, Earl of Eglinton

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Description

Draft letter from Robert Burns to the Earl of Eglinton, dated Edinburgh, February 1787.

This is a draft of a letter Burns wrote to his patron the Earl of Eglinton to thank him for his support. The Earl of Eglinton was one of approximately 1500 people who subscribed for copies of Burns's Edinburgh edition of his poems and whose names were printed as an appendix. The Earl subscribed for forty-two copies. This is Burns's draft. There are no recorded posted copies of this letter.

Burns eulogises on his feelings of being a Scotchman and expresses his gratitude at being supported by one who he considers one of Scotland's 'most illustrious Sons'.

The Edinburgh edition of Burns's poems were published in 1787 for which Burns sold the copyright for 100 guineas. Two thousand eight hundred copies were printed in two consecutive editions, the second of which was less well proof read by Burns and contains a number of now well known discrepancies.

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  1. Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
  2. Draft letter from Robert Burns to the Earl of Eglinton, February 1787

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