Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, 13 May 1789
Ellisland 13th May 1789
Sir,
though I intend making a little manuscript book of my
unpublished Poems for M.rs Graham, yet I cannot forbear in the
mean time sending her the enclosed, which was the production
of the other day. - In the plea of Humanity, the ladies, to
their honour be it spoken, are ever warmly interested. -
That is one reason of my troubling you with this - another.
motive I have is a hackneyed subject in my letters to you.
God help a poor devil, who carries about with him a load
of gratitude of which he can never hope to ease his shoul-
ders but at the expense of his heart! - I waited on
Collector Mitchell with your letter. - It happened to be
Collection day, so he was very throng, but he received
me with the utmost politeness and made me promise
to call on him soon. - As I don't wish to degrade myself
to a hungry rook gaping for a morsel I shall just
give him a hint of my wishes. - I am going
on with a bold hand in my farm and am certain
Sir,
though I intend making a little manuscript book of my
unpublished Poems for M.rs Graham, yet I cannot forbear in the
mean time sending her the enclosed, which was the production
of the other day. - In the plea of Humanity, the ladies, to
their honour be it spoken, are ever warmly interested. -
That is one reason of my troubling you with this - another.
motive I have is a hackneyed subject in my letters to you.
God help a poor devil, who carries about with him a load
of gratitude of which he can never hope to ease his shoul-
ders but at the expense of his heart! - I waited on
Collector Mitchell with your letter. - It happened to be
Collection day, so he was very throng, but he received
me with the utmost politeness and made me promise
to call on him soon. - As I don't wish to degrade myself
to a hungry rook gaping for a morsel I shall just
give him a hint of my wishes. - I am going
on with a bold hand in my farm and am certain
of holding it with safety for three or four years; and
I think if some cursed malevolent star have not taken
irremovable possession of my zenith that your Patronage
& my own priority then as an Expectant should run
a fair chance for the Division I want.- By the by
the Excise instructions you mentioned were not in the
bundle. - But 'tis no matter; Marshal in his Yorkshire,
-particularly that extraordinary man, Smith, in his wealth
of Nations, find my leisure employment enough. I could
not have given any mere man, credit for half the intelligence
Mr Smith discovers in his book. I would covet much to have his
ideas respecting the present State of some quarters of the world that
are or have been the scenes of considerable revolutions since
his book was written.
Though I take the advantage of your goodness, & presume to
send you any new poetic thing of mine I must not tax you with
answers to each of my idle letters. I remember you talked
of being this way with my honoured friend, Sir William Murray,
in the course of this summer, - You cannot imagine, Sir, how
happy it would make me, should you, two, illuminate my
I think if some cursed malevolent star have not taken
irremovable possession of my zenith that your Patronage
& my own priority then as an Expectant should run
a fair chance for the Division I want.- By the by
the Excise instructions you mentioned were not in the
bundle. - But 'tis no matter; Marshal in his Yorkshire,
-particularly that extraordinary man, Smith, in his wealth
of Nations, find my leisure employment enough. I could
not have given any mere man, credit for half the intelligence
Mr Smith discovers in his book. I would covet much to have his
ideas respecting the present State of some quarters of the world that
are or have been the scenes of considerable revolutions since
his book was written.
Though I take the advantage of your goodness, & presume to
send you any new poetic thing of mine I must not tax you with
answers to each of my idle letters. I remember you talked
of being this way with my honoured friend, Sir William Murray,
in the course of this summer, - You cannot imagine, Sir, how
happy it would make me, should you, two, illuminate my
humble domicile. You will certainly do me the honor to partake
of a Farmer's dinner with me. -
I shall promise you a
piece of good old beef, a chicken, or perhaps a Nith salmon
fresh from the ware, & a glass of good punch, on the shortest
notice; and allow me to say, that Cincinnatus or Fabricius,
who presided in the august Roman Senate, & led their invincible
armies, would have jumped at such a dinner. - I expect
your Honours with a kind of enthusiasm. -
I shall mark the year & mark the day,
hand it down to my children's children
as one of the most distinguished honours
of their ancestor.
I have the honour to be, with the sincerest gratitude,
Sir,
your obliged & very humble serv.t Rob.t Burns
of a Farmer's dinner with me. -
I shall promise you a
piece of good old beef, a chicken, or perhaps a Nith salmon
fresh from the ware, & a glass of good punch, on the shortest
notice; and allow me to say, that Cincinnatus or Fabricius,
who presided in the august Roman Senate, & led their invincible
armies, would have jumped at such a dinner. - I expect
your Honours with a kind of enthusiasm. -
I shall mark the year & mark the day,
hand it down to my children's children
as one of the most distinguished honours
of their ancestor.
I have the honour to be, with the sincerest gratitude,
Sir,
your obliged & very humble serv.t Rob.t Burns
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/59
- Alt. number
- 3.6090
- Date
- 13 May 1789
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Graham, Robert
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/59
- Alt. number
- 3.6090
- Date
- 13 May 1789
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Graham, Robert
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, dated, Ellisland, 13 May, 1789.
In this letter, Robert Burns advises Robert Graham on how he has progressed with the Dumfries Collector, to whom Graham had introduced him. It also includes a poem for Mrs Graham.
On the first page, Burns indicates his intention to make up a small book of unpublished poems to send to Mrs Graham but in the meantime, he enclosed one which he has recently written. This poem is no longer with the letter, but the manuscript contains the pencilled suggestion that it was 'On Seeing a Wounded Hare'.
Burns describes his meeting with John Mitchell, the excise collector in Dumfries, to whom Graham had written a letter of introduction on Burns's behalf, and reports that he has been received politely. Another meeting has been arranged. He proposes not to appear as 'a hungry rook gaping for a morsel'.
Page two finds Burns reflecting on his excise prospects, having been advised earlier by Robert Graham that he was not able to bend the rules in the way that Burns had daringly suggested the year before.
Burns also discusses briefly his thoughts arising from his current leisure reading which includes Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, a book which clearly had impressed Burns.
In page three Burns recalls an earlier remark made by Robert Graham that he intended to be in the vicinity of Ellisland with Sir William Murray during the summer. Burns invites them for dinner should they be passing.
He goes on to describe in succulent detail the possible dishes which the visitors could expect including beef, chicken or Nith salmon, and how honoured he would be by their presence even at short notice.
Burns describes his meeting with John Mitchell, the excise collector in Dumfries, to whom Graham had written a letter of introduction on Burns's behalf, and reports that he has been received politely. Another meeting has been arranged. He proposes not to appear as 'a hungry rook gaping for a morsel'.
Page two finds Burns reflecting on his excise prospects, having been advised earlier by Robert Graham that he was not able to bend the rules in the way that Burns had daringly suggested the year before.
Burns also discusses briefly his thoughts arising from his current leisure reading which includes Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, a book which clearly had impressed Burns.
In page three Burns recalls an earlier remark made by Robert Graham that he intended to be in the vicinity of Ellisland with Sir William Murray during the summer. Burns invites them for dinner should they be passing.
He goes on to describe in succulent detail the possible dishes which the visitors could expect including beef, chicken or Nith salmon, and how honoured he would be by their presence even at short notice.
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 Robert Graham, 13 May 1789