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Pair of wine glasses given by Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose

Key details

Object number
3.4012
Date
1788
On display
No

Description

Pair of wine glasses given by Robert Burns to Agnes McLehose.

These wine glasses were sent by Burns to Clarinda as an accompaniment to the "Verses to Clarinda" which begin "Fair Empress of the Poet's soul, And Queen of Poetesses, Clarinda take this little boon, This humble pair of glasses."

Robert presented these wine glasses to Agnes McLehose together with verses asking her to toast ‘to thee and me, Love!’

In 1786 after the first publication of his poems Robert Burns travelled to Edinburgh where he met a society lady Mrs. Agnes McLehose ('Clarinda'). They corresponded Burns being known as 'Sylvander' to 'Clarinda'. Burns was unable to pursue the relationship further as she was married.

Object information