Excise Book belonging to Robert Burns
Essay upon
Monarchy.
Mankind in all ages,
seem to ^have had a notion,
that always when a
number of men are collected
together and form
a society, some persons
should be superior and in
rank and dignity to
others. In the ruder ages
of society, when men were
obliged to hunt the beasts
of the forest for their subsistence,
or to defend them=
selves against there rapacity,
there only resources
were expertise and dexterity
in these employments;
and hence it naturally
follows, that
the man who was most
skilful in these employments,
was looked upon
to by the rest of his
tribe, as their superior,
& as one who deserved to
govern and to rule over
them, Hence is derived
the first idea of kings.
Monarchy.
Mankind in all ages,
seem to ^have had a notion,
that always when a
number of men are collected
together and form
a society, some persons
should be superior and in
rank and dignity to
others. In the ruder ages
of society, when men were
obliged to hunt the beasts
of the forest for their subsistence,
or to defend them=
selves against there rapacity,
there only resources
were expertise and dexterity
in these employments;
and hence it naturally
follows, that
the man who was most
skilful in these employments,
was looked upon
to by the rest of his
tribe, as their superior,
& as one who deserved to
govern and to rule over
them, Hence is derived
the first idea of kings.
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/24
- Alt. number
- 3.6154
- Date
- 20 March 1795
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/24
- Alt. number
- 3.6154
- Date
- 20 March 1795
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
Description
Excise Book belonging to Robert Burns.
Robert Burns became an Excise Officer in 1789 in the Dumfries District and progressed rapidly from the Nithsdale out-ride division to the third foot-walk division in Dumfries within a year. He later became an Acting Supervisor in 1794.
This bound collection of papers appears to have been used as an excise notebook by Robert during that time. The first few pages list his notes taken while performing his duties in the field. It includes information such as the place, name of the tax payer, charts of measurements, and notes on taxation.
Interestingly, the book has also been used by Burns to gather literary notes from unknown sources. One page contains a short 'Essay on Monarchy' while several other pages contain notes in both Latin and Greek.
Interestingly, the book has also been used by Burns to gather literary notes from unknown sources. One page contains a short 'Essay on Monarchy' while several other pages contain notes in both Latin and Greek.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Robert Burns, collection of poems and songs
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Excise Book belonging to Robert Burns