Lot 133
Burns, Robert (1759-1796)
Fragment of autograph letter to Robert Muir of Kilmarnock, Edinburgh, 15th December 1786
£3,528
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 8 February 2023 at 10:00 GMT
Description
reading (lacunae supplied by Waddell):
'My Dr Sir, I delayed writing you till I [was] able to give you some rational account [of myself] and my affairs. I am got under the [patronage] of the Duchess of Gordon, Countess dowag[er] of Glencairn, & John Whiteford, the D[ean of] Faculty, Professors Blair, Stewart, Gr[egory] and several others on the Noblesse & Literati. I believe I shall begin at Mr. Creech's as [my publisher]. [I am] still undetermined as to the future, and, as usual, [nev]er think of it - I have now neither house nor [hom]e that I can call my own, but live on the world [at] large. I am just a poor wayfaring Pilgrim [on] the road to Parnassus; a thoughtless wanderer [and] soujourner in a strange land. [I] rec[eived] a very kind letter from Mr A. Dalziel, [for w]hich please return hi[m] my thanks; and [tell] him I will write him in a day or two. Mr. Parker, Charles, Dr. Corsan, and honest John [Wilson? my] quondam printer, I remember in my [prayers when I pray] in rhyme. To all of [whom], till I have an oppor[tunity.... ], Edinr 15th Dec. 1786. I forgot to tell you how [...] honest-hearted And[rew] [and?] Matty. She is [noblest] of the Creator['s...]
On laid paper, with extensive early repairs and marginal extensions, concomitant soiling and staining, holes along longitudinal central fold, annotated 'Fragment of a letter from Robert Burns at Edinr 1786' on section of paper watermarked [1]797, glazed both sides and framed, part of some letters and words cropped
Footnote
Note:
Published in Hately Waddell, The Life and Works of Robert Burns, 1867, vol. II p. 143: 'The above fragment, which has no address, but which manifestly, from the names and references occur in it, belongs to this series [of letters to John Muir], we carefully print from original in possession of our friend John Reid, Esq., Kingston Place, Glasgow ... In consequence of this letter, Mr. Muir seems to have interested himself on behalf of the Edinburgh edition [of Burns's Poems, published in 1787] ... In filling up the blanks ... the only two about which we have any doubt are those in the concluding sentence; but we are much disposed to believe that the parties alluded to are Andrew Bruce and his wife, or some other female relative ... who seem to have been well known to the Kilmarnock folk'.
Provenance:
By family repute from the collection of Claud Hamilton (1865-1919), Scottish industrialist and owner of electrical engineering firm Claud Hamilton Ltd; thence by descent.
