Letter from Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose, 12 December 1787
I stretch a point indeed, my dearest Madam, when I answer
your card on the rack of my present agony. - Your
friendship, Madam! by Heavens, I was never proud
before. - Your lines, I maintain it, are Poetry; and
good Poetry; mine, were indeed partly fiction, and partly
a friendship which had I been so blest as to have met
with you in time, might have led me - God of love only
knows where. - Time is too short for ceremonies -
I swear solemnly (in all the tenor of my former oath)
to remember you in all the pride and warmth of
friendship until - I cease to be!
Tomorrow, and every day till I see you, you shall hear
from me.
your card on the rack of my present agony. - Your
friendship, Madam! by Heavens, I was never proud
before. - Your lines, I maintain it, are Poetry; and
good Poetry; mine, were indeed partly fiction, and partly
a friendship which had I been so blest as to have met
with you in time, might have led me - God of love only
knows where. - Time is too short for ceremonies -
I swear solemnly (in all the tenor of my former oath)
to remember you in all the pride and warmth of
friendship until - I cease to be!
Tomorrow, and every day till I see you, you shall hear
from me.
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/125
- Alt. number
- 3.6361
- Date
- 12 December 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- McLehose, Agnes
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/125
- Alt. number
- 3.6361
- Date
- 12 December 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- McLehose, Agnes
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose, dated 12 December 1787. The last sentence and the signature have been cut off. Endorsed by Isabella Begg "these lines I know to be the genuine handwriting of my brother Robert Burns...Ayr, 12th May 1845".
Robert met Mrs Agnes McLehose during his extended trip to Edinburgh. Although they were both involved with other people, the two began an written, arguably romantic affair which has been immortalized through their surviving correspondence. Addressing each other as ‘Sylvander’ and ‘Clarinda’ to protect their identities in case of exposure, Robert and Agnes continued to write to each other for years, even after Robert married Jean Armour and moved to Ellisland near Dumfries.
Burns composed this letter at the beginning of their relationship. He had hoped to privately visit Agnes for the first time several days before, but he fell from a carriage and injured his knee. Unable to leave his bed, Burns began writing to his new love interest on a regular basis.
In the letter, Robert compliments the poetry Agnes had recently sent to him. He gives many other flowery compliments and promises to write every day until he is well enough to visit her.
In the letter, Robert compliments the poetry Agnes had recently sent to him. He gives many other flowery compliments and promises to write every day until he is well enough to visit her.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose, 12 December 1787