Letter of Robert Burns to Robert Graham, Jan 7th 1794
The language of supplication is almost the
only language in which I have it in my power to
approach you, & I have your generous commands for coming
to you with it, on every opportunity. - I hope, & know then,
that you will forgive me, for mentioning to you a
circumstance which has come to my knowledge, & which
it is possible, though, I am afraid, by no means probable,
may be of some service to me.
Mr Corbet is I know, at the top of the Collectors'
List, & as there they are most of them old me, it is
extremely probably that the place he holds may be soon
vacant.- That place - supervisor General - is, I
understand, nearly secured for Mr Findlater, my Super.r
here. - Could it be possible then, Sir, that an old
Supervisor who may be still continued, as I know
is sometimes the case, after they are rather to infirm
for
to Dumfries, & so let the Officiating Job fall to my
share? - This is a bare possibility, if it be one, so I
again beg your pardon for mentioning it, & I have done
with the subject.
You will have seen, or heard of a Publication of Scots
Songs, under the hand of Playel; & where I appear in
some of the Scots Poesy of the Work. - Miss Graham
will do me the honour to accept of a Copy- a trifling,
but most servant tribute of Gratitude, to the best Friend
& truest, almost only, Patron, I have in the world: a
Gentleman whose manner of bestowing, would give a
pleasure to the feelings to unfortunate Royalty.-
Should the Chapter of Chances & Changes, which God forbid!
ever place a Child of yours in the situation to need
a Friend, as I have done; may they likewise find that
Generous Friend that I have found in you!
I shall order a Copy of the Sonatas as I have none
by me, to be sent from the Publisher.
I have the honour to be, Sir, your grateful humble
Rob.t Burns.
![](https://ciim-data.nts.org.uk/media/iiif/3/pf%2F2%2F1%2F40%2F823%2FNTSBRNp06126.ptif/full/!640,640/0/default.jpg)
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
- 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
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.
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
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter of Robert Burns to Robert Graham, Jan 7th 1794
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