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Letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, 20 November 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

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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


Hierarchy

  1. Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
  2. Letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, 20 November 1786