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Letter from Robert Burns to William Niven, 29 July 1780

Key details

Archive number
NTS/02/25/BRN/01/03
Alt. number
3.6029
Date
29 July 1780
On display
No
Creator
Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient
Niven, William

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Description

Letter from Robert Burns to William Niven, dated Lochlea, 29 July 1780. One of three letters written to William Niven.

William Niven had been at Hugh Roger's school in Kirkoswald when Burns was there in 1775, and who was afterwards a merchant in Maybole. This set of letters is dated from Lochlee (Lochlea) between July, 1780, and June, 1781, and are the earliest letters of Robert Burns in the National Trust for Scotland Collection.

This is the earliest of the surviving letters written by Robert Burns, written when was was 21 years old. Robert’s handwriting here differs greatly from the easily recognisable script of his later correspondence. Although the letter is difficult to read due to damage, it appears that Burns and Niven exchanged opinions regarding the nature of friendship.

Archive information

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Hierarchy

  1. Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
  2. Letter from Robert Burns to William Niven, 29 July 1780