Letter from Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose, 12 December 1787

Key details

Archive number: NTS/02/25/BRN/01/125
Alt. number: 3.6361
Date: 12 December 1787
On display: No
Creator: Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient: McLehose, Agnes

Explore correspondence between the creator and recipient

Description

Letter from Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose, dated 12 December 1787. The last sentence and the signature have been cut off. Endorsed by Isabella Begg "these lines I know to be the genuine handwriting of my brother Robert Burns...Ayr, 12th May 1845".

Robert met Mrs Agnes McLehose during his extended trip to Edinburgh. Although they were both involved with other people, the two began an written, arguably romantic affair which has been immortalized through their surviving correspondence. Addressing each other as ‘Sylvander’ and ‘Clarinda’ to protect their identities in case of exposure, Robert and Agnes continued to write to each other for years, even after Robert married Jean Armour and moved to Ellisland near Dumfries.

Burns composed this letter at the beginning of their relationship. He had hoped to privately visit Agnes for the first time several days before, but he fell from a carriage and injured his knee. Unable to leave his bed, Burns began writing to his new love interest on a regular basis.

In the letter, Robert compliments the poetry Agnes had recently sent to him. He gives many other flowery compliments and promises to write every day until he is well enough to visit her.

Archive information

Themes

Hierarchy

Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
Letter from Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose, 12 December 1787

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