Explore correspondence between senders and recipients of letters and documents in the Burns Collection.
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Letter from Dr John Moore to Robert Burns, 23 May 1787
In this letter, author Dr Moore advises Robert to use less Scots in his work and to study English history. Despite this advice, Robert continued to write using both languages. The next surviving letter from Burns to Moore is the famous autobiographical letter written in August suggesting Burns did not adversely react to the advice in this letter.
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Robert Burns tours the West Highlands.
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Robert Burns tours the Highlands.
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Robert Burns meets Agnes Maclehose in Edinburgh.
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Robert Burns and Agnes Maclehose begin exchanging love letters.
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Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) dies in Rome.
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Burns returns to Tarbolton to see Jean Armour, who is pregnant.
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Jean Armour gives birth to twin girls, who both die, unnamed, within a month.
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Burns takes on the lease at Ellisland, the farm he and Jean will live in from 1789 to 1791.
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Burns receives his Excise commission and begins his traineeship.
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The formal marriage of Jean Armour and Robert Burns is registered in Mauchline, although they likely married in March 1788.
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Jenny Clow, the maid of Agnes Maclehose in Edinburgh, gives birth to a son, Robert Burns Jnr.
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Burns sends the first version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ to Mrs Dunlop. During his time at Ellisland Farm, Burns writes over 130 songs and poems, nearly a quarter of his total output.
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Robert Burns formally takes up Excise work with a salary of £50 per annum.
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William Blake writes Songs of Innoncence.
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George Washington becomes the first President of the United States of America.
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Jean Armour and Robert Burns move into Ellisland Farm.
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The fall of the Bastille in Paris marks the beginning of the French Revolution.
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Francis Wallace Burns is born to Jean Armour Burns.
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Robert Burns writes Tam o’ Shanter.
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Letter from Robert Burns to Dr John Moore, 28 February 1791, with 'To Miss C - a very young lady'
Letter from Robert Burns to Dr John Moore, dated Ellisland, 28 February 1791, with 'To Miss C - a very young lady'. Enclosing a copy of poem no 271 which begins "Beautious rose-bud, young and gay" see Item ref 410.02; Begins: "Beautious rose-bud, young and gay", This copy accompanied letter to Dr. John Moore see Item.