Letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, 20 November 1786
Sir,
Enclosed you have my first attempt in the irregular
kind of measure in which many of our finest Odes are wrote.
How far I have succeeded I don't know; but I shall be happy
to have your opinion on Friday first when I intend being in
Ayr. - I hear of no returns from Edinburgh to Mr Aiken respecting
my second Edition business; so I am thinking to
set out, beginning of next week, for the City myself. -
If my first poetic Patron Mr Aiken is in town, I want
your & his advice, both in my procedure, & some little Criticism
affairs, much; if Business will permit you to honour me with
a few minutes when I come down on Friday.
I have the honour to be,
Sir, your much indebted humble serv.t
Robert Burns
Mossgeil 20th Nov.
1786
Enclosed you have my first attempt in the irregular
kind of measure in which many of our finest Odes are wrote.
How far I have succeeded I don't know; but I shall be happy
to have your opinion on Friday first when I intend being in
Ayr. - I hear of no returns from Edinburgh to Mr Aiken respecting
my second Edition business; so I am thinking to
set out, beginning of next week, for the City myself. -
If my first poetic Patron Mr Aiken is in town, I want
your & his advice, both in my procedure, & some little Criticism
affairs, much; if Business will permit you to honour me with
a few minutes when I come down on Friday.
I have the honour to be,
Sir, your much indebted humble serv.t
Robert Burns
Mossgeil 20th Nov.
1786
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/74
- Alt. number
- 3.6165
- Date
- 20 November 1786
- On display
- Yes
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Ballantine, John
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/74
- Alt. number
- 3.6165
- Date
- 20 November 1786
- On display
- Yes
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Ballantine, John
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, dated 20 November 1786.
In this short letter, Burns describes the leap he is about to take: going to Edinburgh to produce the important second edition of his Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. This book would establish the poet's fame. In the letter, he wishes to arrange a meeting with Robert Aiken and John Ballantine, two early supporters of the poet from Ayr.
John Ballantine was an Ayr merchant and banker who became the Provost of Ayr in 1787. Ballantine was supportive of Burns's literary efforts and in turn Burns kept up a correspondence with him, detailing his experiences in Edinburgh.
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 John Ballantine, 20 November 1786