Letter from Robert Burns to John Wilson, 11 September 1790

Ellisland 11th Septemberr 1790

I am truly sorry, my dear Sir, that you find yourself so
uncomfortably situated in Tarbolton; the more so, as I fear
you will find on trial that the remedy you propose is worse
than the disease.- The life of an Edinburgh Quill-driver at
twopence a page, is a life I know so well- that I should
be very sorry any friend of mine should ever try
it. - To young lads, bred to the law, & meaning to
push their way in that department & line of life,
practising as a copying Clerk is to them a necessary
step; but to a gentleman who is unacquainted with
the science of law, & who proposes to live merely by
the drudgery of his quill, he has before him a life.
of many sorrows. - Pardon me, my dear Sir, this free -
dom: I wish only to keep you, as far as my knowledge
of life can, from being misled by that seducing slut,
Fancy, under the mask of Hope. - The Excise is
impracticable to you. - No man above thirty, or who
has more than two children, is admissible. - However,
you are the best judge of your present situation &

& future hopes; & as I wish to be of all the service to
you that is in my scanty power, I enclose you a
card to a friend of mine, the only one I have in
Edinburgh from whom I could with any hope of success
make such a request. -

Allow me to mention one suggestion to you. - Your
present appointment may be held by deputy, at least
until you go to Edinburgh & see what you have to
expect there: let me beg of you for M.rs Wilson's
sake & your sweet little flock, not to quit the Present.
poor as it is, until you be pretty sure of your hold of
the Future. -

I am afraid too, that at this season, in vacation,
you will find few of the Gentlemen of the law in
town. - Had you not better defer it your journey
until the Court sit down?

M.rs Burns joins me in best Compl.nts to
M.rs Wilson. -
Farewell! & believe me to be, my dear Sir,
yours sincerely
Rob.t Burns.