Framed letter of Agnes McLehose to John Syme

Apparently unpublished, Agnes M'Lehose had left her married husband because of his cruelty and moved to Edinburgh in 1782. She met Burns on 3 December 1787 and thereupon they immediately began to exchange letters and verse, Burns addressing Agnes as "Clarinda" and she addressing him as "Sylvander". Their correspondence was short but passionate and Burns sent Clarinda the moving poem "Ae Fond Kiss". After Burns's death Agnes M'Lehose was naturally extremely keen to have her letters to Burns returned and six months after Burns's death, as this letter makes clear, she remains determined to have them returned to her.


Dr. William Maxwell (1760 - 1834), Burns's doctor and friend attended Burns during his last illness, diagnosing the stabbing agonies of endocarditis as 'flying gout' and prescribing him sea-bathing in country quarters and horseriding, 'cures' which probably hastened Burns's end. Together with Cunningham and Syme, Maxwell became one of the Trustees who collected money for a fund to ensure that Burns's widow and children did not want. It would appear that Maxwell had retained Agnes's love letters to Burns for 'safe keeping'.

John Syme (1755-1831), Collector of Stamps, became a friend of Burns when the poet moved to Dumfries in 1791, renting a flat on the floor above Syme's office. He befriended the poet and in the summer of 1794 accompanied Burns on an extended tour through Galloway. He visited Burns at Brow on 15th July 1796, and again a few days later, when Burns had returned to Dumfries and was horrified at the poet's deteriorated condition. After Burns's death, Syme, with Dr Maxwell, organised the funeral, and, with Alexander Cunningham, worked to raise the money needed to help the poet's widow and children. He was one of those who urged Dr Currie to undertake his edition of Burns work.


In a later letter, dated 9 January 1797, Agnes tells Syme "I am happy you have consented to return my letters at last, and that my pledge has pleased you...you must pardon me for refusing to send Burns's. I never will. I am determined not to allow them to be out of my house" (quoted in J.C. Ewing, Robert Burns's letters addressed to Clarinda, 1921).