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On Sensibility - To a Friend

Key details

Archive number
NTS/02/25/BRN/02/171
Alt. number
3.6215.l
Date
1791
On display
Yes
Creator
Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient
Stewart, Mrs Alexander

Explore correspondence between the creator and recipient

Description

On Sensibility - To a Friend, part of the Afton manuscript collection.

Burns composed this poem in early July 1790, the same time as he was corresponding with his friend Mrs Dunlop. He included two verses of the work in a letter and later sent her the completed version at the end of the month. A personalised version was sent to Clarinda at the end of the following year.

In each of the four verses of this poem, Burns contrasts the joys and tragedies of life experienced by man and nature alike.

This particular manuscript is part of the Afton Manuscript collection. This collection of thirteen poems was presented by Robert to Mrs Alexander Stewart of Stair in 1791.

Archive information


Hierarchy

  1. Robert Burns, collection of poems and songs ( )
  2. On Sensibility - To a Friend

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