Letter from Robert Burns to William Creech, 13 May 1787
My honoured Friend,
The enclosed I have just
wrote, nearly extempore, in a solitary Inn in Sel-
-kirk, after a miserable wet day's riding. - I
have been over most of East Lothian, Berwick,
Roxburgh & Selkirk Shires; and next week
I begin a tour through the north of England.-
Yesterday I dined with Lady Hariot, Sister
to my noble Patron, Ruem Deus confervet!
I would write till I would tire you as much with
dull Prose as I dare say by this time you
are with wretched Verse, but I am jaded to
death; so, with a grateful farewell, I have the
honour to be, good Sir, yours sincerely,
Rob.t Burns
The enclosed I have just
wrote, nearly extempore, in a solitary Inn in Sel-
-kirk, after a miserable wet day's riding. - I
have been over most of East Lothian, Berwick,
Roxburgh & Selkirk Shires; and next week
I begin a tour through the north of England.-
Yesterday I dined with Lady Hariot, Sister
to my noble Patron, Ruem Deus confervet!
I would write till I would tire you as much with
dull Prose as I dare say by this time you
are with wretched Verse, but I am jaded to
death; so, with a grateful farewell, I have the
honour to be, good Sir, yours sincerely,
Rob.t Burns
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/15
- Alt. number
- 3.6042
- Date
- 13 May 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Creech, William
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/15
- Alt. number
- 3.6042
- Date
- 13 May 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Creech, William
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to William Creech in London, 13 May 1787. undated, but written "in a solitary Inn in Selkirk" on 13th May 1787; signed "Robt. Burns."
Robert wrote this letter during his Border tour while staying at 'a solitary Inn in Selkirk, after a miserable wet day's riding.' It is written to William Creech, the publisher of Burns's Edinburgh edition of poems.
This is a single page covering letter to enclose a "nearly extempore" twelve stanza verse of a lively nature to his publisher. He keeps the note short on account of being "jaded to death", the result of his days riding in bad weather.
The letter also enclosed the poem 'Willie's Awa', which Burns wrote at the same time. The poem is a mock lament of Creech's absence from Edinburgh while in London arranging for an English edition of Burns's poems to be published.
The letter also enclosed the poem 'Willie's Awa', which Burns wrote at the same time. The poem is a mock lament of Creech's absence from Edinburgh while in London arranging for an English edition of Burns's poems to be published.
Archive information
Place of creation
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to William Creech, 13 May 1787
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.