Letter from Robert Burns to James Johnson, 4 May 1787
Dear Sir,
I have sent you a song never
before known, for your collection; the air
by McGibbon, but I know not the Author
of the words, as I got it from D.r Blacklock
Farewel, my dear Sir! I wished to have seen
you, but I have been dreadfully throng
as I march tomorrow.- Had my acquain-
tance w.t you been a little older, I would have
asked the favor of your correspondence;
as I have met w.t few people whose compa-
ny & conversation gave me so much pleasure
because I have met w.t few whose sentiments
are so congenial to my own. –
I have sent you a song never
before known, for your collection; the air
by McGibbon, but I know not the Author
of the words, as I got it from D.r Blacklock
Farewel, my dear Sir! I wished to have seen
you, but I have been dreadfully throng
as I march tomorrow.- Had my acquain-
tance w.t you been a little older, I would have
asked the favor of your correspondence;
as I have met w.t few people whose compa-
ny & conversation gave me so much pleasure
because I have met w.t few whose sentiments
are so congenial to my own. –
When Dunbar & you meet, tell him that
I left Edin.r with the idea of him hanging
somewhere about my heart.-
Keep the original of this song till we
meet again, whenever that may be –
Rob.t Burns
Lawn Market
Friday noon
I left Edin.r with the idea of him hanging
somewhere about my heart.-
Keep the original of this song till we
meet again, whenever that may be –
Rob.t Burns
Lawn Market
Friday noon
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/14
- Alt. number
- 3.6041
- Date
- 4 May 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Johnson, James
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/14
- Alt. number
- 3.6041
- Date
- 4 May 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Johnson, James
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to James Johnson, dated Lawn Market, 4 May 1787.
Letter suggested to have been written on 4th May 1787. It encloses a song which Burns claims being "never before known" which he obtained from Dr Blacklock titled "the air by McGibbon".
When Burns visited Edinburgh in the late 1780s, he met the engraver James Johnson who had begun collecting Scottish songs for publication. When the two met in 1787, Johnson’s first volume of The Scots Musical Museum was well-underway.
Johnson, recognising a fellow lover of music, invited Burns to contribute to the subsequent volumes. Over the next few years, Robert contributed over 150 original songs to Johnson as well as many more traditional songs he had collected and re-worked with new lyrical arrangements.
This letter to Johnson was written near 4 May 1787, just before Robert's journey through the Borders. In it, Burns encloses a song which he claims being 'never before known' and which he obtained from Dr Blacklock. Blacklock called in 'the air by McGibbon'.
This letter to Johnson was written near 4 May 1787, just before Robert's journey through the Borders. In it, Burns encloses a song which he claims being 'never before known' and which he obtained from Dr Blacklock. Blacklock called in 'the air by McGibbon'.
Archive information
Place of creation
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Letters from and to Robert Burns
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to James Johnson, 4 May 1787