Letter from Robert Burns to Mr David Sillars
My dear Sir,
I am extremely sorry to hear of your misfortune, & the more so, as it is not in
my power to give you any assistance. - I am just five shillings rich at present; tho' I was considerably richer three days ago, when I was obliged to pay twenty pounds for a man who took me in, to save a rotten credit. - I heedlessly
gave him my name on the back of a bill where -in I have no concern, & he - gave me the bill to pay. - To write you a long letter, of news would by insult your present unfortunate feelings; I trust your many rich & powerful friends will enable you to get clear of that flinty-hearted scoundrel, whose name I detest. -
Yours,
R. Burns
I am extremely sorry to hear of your misfortune, & the more so, as it is not in
my power to give you any assistance. - I am just five shillings rich at present; tho' I was considerably richer three days ago, when I was obliged to pay twenty pounds for a man who took me in, to save a rotten credit. - I heedlessly
gave him my name on the back of a bill where -in I have no concern, & he - gave me the bill to pay. - To write you a long letter, of news would by insult your present unfortunate feelings; I trust your many rich & powerful friends will enable you to get clear of that flinty-hearted scoundrel, whose name I detest. -
Yours,
R. Burns
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/38
- Alt. number
- 3.6065
- Date
- 1791
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Sillars, David
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/38
- Alt. number
- 3.6065
- Date
- 1791
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Sillars, David
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to Mr David Sillars. Transcribed by De Lancey Ferguson to Ross Roy in early summer 1791, written at Ellisland, signed "R. Burns."
This short, one page letter from Burns to David Sillar is thought to have been written around early summer 1791, at which time Burns would have been living at Ellisland Farm.
Burns is only 'five shillings rich' at the time that he receives David Sillar's request for assistance, having himself squandered £20 on a heedless transaction three days earlier. Burns commiserates with Sillar and clearly knows the 'flinty-hearted scoundrel' to whom Sillars is indebted.
David Sillar was a near neighbour of Burns in his early days, with both having a mutual interest in rhyming. He published a volume of his own poems in 1789. Sillar's grocery business in Irvine failed and this letter may have been related to this situation.
David Sillar was a near neighbour of Burns in his early days, with both having a mutual interest in rhyming. He published a volume of his own poems in 1789. Sillar's grocery business in Irvine failed and this letter may have been related to this situation.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
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Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to Mr David Sillars