Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, 4 September 1790
Sir
The very kind letter you did me the honour to write
me, reached me just as I was setting in to the whirlpool of an
Exise fraud-Court, from the vortex of which I am just emerged. -
Heaven knows, in a very unfit situation to do justice to the workings
of my bosom when I sit down to write to the -
"Friend of my like - true Patron of my Rhymes!"
As my Division consists of ten large parishes, & I am sorry to
say, hither to very carelessly surveyed, I has a good deal of business
for the Justices, & I believe my Decreet will amount to between
fifty & sixty pounds. - I took, I fancy, rather a new way with
my Frauds. - I recorded every defaulter, but at the Court
I myself begged off every poor body that was unable to
pay, which seeming candour gave me so much implicit
credit with the Hon. Bench that with high Compliments
they gave me such ample vengeance on the rest, that my
Decreet is double the amount of any Division in the
District. -
I have not liberty to subset, but if my Master will grant
it me, I propose giving it just as I have it to myself
to an industrious fellow of a near relation of mine.- Farming
this place in which I live, would just be a livelihood to a
man who would be the greatest drudge in his own family,
so is no object; & living here hinders me from that
knowledge int he business of Excise which it is absolutely
necessary for me to attain. -
I did not like to be an incessant beggar from you. - A
Port Division I wish if possible to get; my kind funny
friend, Captain Grose, offered to interest Mr Brown &
perhaps Mr Wharton for me, a very handsome opportunity
offered of getting Mr Corbet, super general, to pledge
every service in his power; then I was just going to
acquaint you with what I had done, or rather what
was done for me, that as everybody has have their particular
friends to serve, you might find the less obstacle in
what, I assure you, Sir, I constantly count on - your
wishes & endeavours to be of service to me.
As I had an eye to getting on the Examiners list, if attainable
by me, I was going to ask you if it would be of any service
whom I have the honour to be known; I mean in the way of
a Treasury Warrant. - But much as early impressions have
impression given me of the horror of spectres, & c. still, I would
rather face the Arch-fiend, in Miltonic pomp, at the head
of all his legions; and hear that infernal shout which
blind John says, "Tore hell's concave;" rather than crawl
in, a dust-licking Petitioner, before the lofty presence of
a Mighty Man, & bear the amid all the mortifying pangs
of Self -annihilation, the swelling consequence of his
d-mn'd State, & the cold monosyllables of his hollow
heart!
it was in the view of trying for a Port, that I asked
Collector Mitchel to get me appointed, which he has
done, to a vacant foot-walk in Dumfries.- If ever
I am so fortunate as to be called out to do business as
a Supervisor, I would then choose the North of Scotland,
But until that Utopian period, I own I have some
wayward feelings at appearing as a simple Gauger
in a Country where I am only known by fame.
Port Glasgow, Greenock, or Dumfries, Ports, would be in
the mean time my ultimatum.-
the memory of my friend, Matthew Henderson, whom
I dare say you must have known. I had acknowledged
your goodness sooner, but for want of time to transcribe
the Poem. - Poor Matthew! - I can forgive Poverty
for hiding Virtue & Piety. - They are not only plants that flourish
best in the shade, but they also produce their sacred fruits more
especially for another world. - But when the haggard Bild[?]
throws her invidious veil over Wit, Spirit, & c. but
I trust another world will cast light on the subject.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
your deeply obliged,
And very humble serv.t
Rob.t Burns
![](https://ciim-data.nts.org.uk/media/iiif/3/pf%2F2%2F1%2F40%2F800%2FNTSBRNp06103.ptif/full/!640,640/0/default.jpg)
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/63
- Alt. number
- 3.6094
- Date
- 4 September 1790
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Graham, Robert
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/01/63
- Alt. number
- 3.6094
- Date
- 4 September 1790
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Graham, Robert
Description
Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, dated, Globe Inn, Dumfries, 4 September 1790.
In this letter, Burns outlines his rapid promotion in his Excise career to his patron Robert Graham and gives him some thoughts as to his future aspirations. He sees this career as being more beneficial to farming and announces his intention to give up the farm at Ellisland.
On page two Burns declares his intention to rid himself of Ellisland Farm which he now considers to be a hindrance in his Excise career. He now implores Graham to assist him with his next step up the Excise ladder. He declares his interest in a Port division and explains that he had already received some support from his 'kind funny friend, Captain Grose'. He goes on to say that he has his eye on becoming an Examiner, which is a precocious aspiration as Burns had only in the Excise service less than a year.
Burns continues on page three to encourage Graham to advise him on the best course of action to further his cause to become an Excise Examiner. He uses a Miltonian example to express his fears of the consequence of making a wrong approach. He then explains that he has recently moved to a foot-walk Division in Dumfries after only a few months in his ten parish ride in Nithsdale. This was an extremely fast promotion and may have encouraged his future thoughts which he expresses of being a Supervisor in the North of Scotland.
In this last page Burns states that he is enclosing a copy of his 'Elegy on Capt. Matthew Henderson', whom he presumes Graham will have known, and infers that it was lack of time to copy it which delayed his letter being sent. This poem has since been separated from the letter. Burns finally reflects on the injustice surrounding Matthew Henderson's death.
Archive information
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Letters from and to Robert Burns
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a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Letter from Robert Burns to Robert Graham, 4 September 1790