Join

Letter of Robert Burns to Robert Graham, Jan 7th 1794

Key details

Archive number
NTS/02/25/BRN/01/68
Alt. number
3.6100
Date
January 1794 to February 1794
On display
No
Creator
Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient
Graham, Robert

Explore correspondence between the creator and recipient

Description

Letter of Robert Burns to Robert Graham, dated Jan 7th 1794. The date is supplied by J.C. Ewing.

This is a two page letter to Robert Graham in which Burns, reflecting on the likely promotion of two senior Excise colleagues, puts forward the case for his own promotion as a replacement.

On the first page Burns offers a supplicatory opening where he suggests that Graham may possibly be of some service to him. He draws Graham's attention to the situation of his local Collector Corbet and that his own Supervisor Findlater is about to be promoted to Supervisor General. He speculates that if the moves were constructed appropriately he could fall heir to the Officiating vacancy. He admits, however, that this is unlikely to happen.

Page two concludes his argument for promotion and continues with general pleasantries to do with songs he has contributed to a publication of Scots Songs, better known as George Thomson's Select Scottish Airs. There has been no trace of a reply from Graham and no further mention of this rather forward suggestion by Burns. His excise career continued without any advancement.

Archive information


Hierarchy

  1. Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
  2. Letter of Robert Burns to Robert Graham, Jan 7th 1794

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