Letter from Robert Burns to James Clarke, 26 June 1796
My dear Clarke,
Still the victim of affliction,
were you to see the emaciated figure who now holds
the pen to you, you would not know your old friend
Whether I shall ever get about again is only known
to HIM, the Great Unknown, whose creature I am
Alas, Clarke, I begin to fear the worst! As to
my individual self I am tranquil - I would despise
myself if I were not: but Burns's poor widow
& half a dozen of his dear little ones, helpless orphans
there I am weak as a woman's tear.
Enough of this! tis half my disease!
I duly rec.d your last, inclosing the note. It
came extremely in time, & I was much obliged
to your punctuality. - Again I must request
you
Still the victim of affliction,
were you to see the emaciated figure who now holds
the pen to you, you would not know your old friend
Whether I shall ever get about again is only known
to HIM, the Great Unknown, whose creature I am
Alas, Clarke, I begin to fear the worst! As to
my individual self I am tranquil - I would despise
myself if I were not: but Burns's poor widow
& half a dozen of his dear little ones, helpless orphans
there I am weak as a woman's tear.
Enough of this! tis half my disease!
I duly rec.d your last, inclosing the note. It
came extremely in time, & I was much obliged
to your punctuality. - Again I must request
you
you to do me the same kindness. - Be so very
good as by return of post to enclose me another note
I trust you can do it without much inconvenience,
it will seriously oblige me. If I must go, I leave
a few friends behind me, whom I shall regret while
consciousness remains. - I know I shall live in
their remembrance. -
Adius dear Clarke! That I shall ever see you
again, is, I am afraid, highly comprobable,
R Burns
June 26th 1796
Dumfries
good as by return of post to enclose me another note
I trust you can do it without much inconvenience,
it will seriously oblige me. If I must go, I leave
a few friends behind me, whom I shall regret while
consciousness remains. - I know I shall live in
their remembrance. -
Adius dear Clarke! That I shall ever see you
again, is, I am afraid, highly comprobable,
R Burns
June 26th 1796
Dumfries
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/113
- Alt. number
- 3.6348
- Date
- 26 June 1796
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Clarke, James
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/113
- Alt. number
- 3.6348
- Date
- 26 June 1796
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Clarke, James
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to James Clarke, dated Dumfries, 26 June 1796. Letter concerns his illness, his fears for his family after his death and other personal matters. Annotated "He died the 21 July". Includes facsimile.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to James Clarke, 26 June 1796
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