Letter from Robert Burns to Alexander Cunningham, 27 July 1788

The letter is in response to one he had recently received from Cunningham after a period of time and Burns is eager to bring his Edinburgh friend up to date with his position. Page one begins with verses written by Burns about Cunningham's fiancée Anne, by way of asking how his love life is progressing.

It happens that Cunningham was jilted by Anne Stewart that same year in favour of an Edinburgh surgeon, but Burns was clearly not aware of it at the time he wrote these verses.

Page two continues with two more verses of the poem, after which Burns admits that his muse, in the guise of Pegasus, has fallen lame and he must 'alight and try the foot-path of plain prose'. Delighted to hear from Cunningham, Burns proceeds to update him on his situation.

First he tells that he has become a farmer at Ellisland and is building a house where his family can live. It will not be a palace but a more modest abode to generate humility and contentment.

In the last page Burns explains that he has married 'my Jean' out of love and responsibility and has a son, the only one living out of four children born to Jean. He intends that his son should become a priest for he is showing suitable traits in that direction.

Burns finally explains that he is commuting between Mauchline and Ellisland at roughly weekly intervals until the house is completed, and that Cunningham should send mail to Ellisland from now on.

The Edinburgh lawyer Alexander Cunningham met Burns when he travelled to the Scottish capital. The two became live-long friends with much correspondence travelling between them. Following Burns's death, Cunningham led the effort to raise funds to support the remaining Burns family.