Short history of robert burns
Home / General Biography Information / Short history of robert burns
In 1783 he started composing poetry in a traditional style using the Ayrshire dialect of Lowland Scots. With all his ability and character, however, the elder Burns was consistently unfortunate, and migrated with his large family from farm to farm without ever being able to improve his circumstances. A collaboration with James Johnson led to a long-term involvement in The Scots Musical Museum, which included the likes of Auld Lang Syne.
Related TV programme & clip: The World According to Robert Burns, Episode 2.
Later life
In just 18 short months, Burns had spent most of the wealth from his published poetry, so in 1789 he began work as an Excise Officer in Dumfries (an irony not lost on him) and resumed his relationship with wife Jean.
In 1781 Burns went to Irvine to become a flax-dresser, but the unfortunate result of a little New Year carousing with fellow workmen, the shop was accidentally set ablaze and burned to the ground. This similarity can be more likely attributed to the fact that they emerged from the same difficult circumstances during the same revolutionary times.
poor beastie, thou maun live!
- Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
- It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
- An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
- O’ foggage green!
- An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
- Baith snell an’ keen!
- Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
- An’ weary winter comin fast,
- An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
- Thou thought to dwell—
- Till crash!
This venture accordingly came to an end. The poems, as the title suggests, were written in a half-English/half-Scots dialect largely of Burns' own devising, and were selected specifically for the Edinburgh audience that Burns hoped to impress through his rural voice and natural imagery. He contributed 40 songs to Volume Two, and would end up responsible for about a third of the 600 songs in the whole collection, as well as making a considerable editorial contribution.
To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
A tenant farmer, often struggling, he still found time to write and in 1786 he published his first collection of poetry, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect, which became known as the 'Kilmarnock edition'. Enraged, Burns sought the hand of another woman, Mary Campbell, who promptly died. He died on 21 July 1796 aged just 37 and was buried with full civil and military honours on the very day his son Maxwell was born.
This included one of his most famous poems, 'To a mouse'.
The book was immediately successful, and Burns set off for Edinburgh, where he found himself lionised by society.
Burns' legacy
Burns died in Dumfries at the age of just 37. His correspondence with Agnes 'Nancy' McLehose resulted in the classic Ae Fond Kiss. Statues and monuments dedicated to him can be found in America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and France, as well, of course, in Scotland.
Personal relics of the poet started to be scattered after his death: Burns’s wife, Jean Armour, was generous to visitors.
But although he never left Scotland in his short lifetime, his influence is still felt around the world.
Illicit relationships and fathering illegitimate children ran parallel to a productive period in his working life. His description of this process profoundly influenced the Romantic poets, particularly William Wordsworth, who would succeed in Burns' style:
My way is: I consider the poetic Sentiment, correspondent to my idea of the musical expression; then chuse my theme; begin one Stanza; when that is composed, which is generally the most difficult part of the business, I walk out, sit down now and then, look out for objects in Nature around me that are in unison or harmony with the cogitations of my fancy and workings of my bosom; humming every now and then the air with the verses I have framed.
France loses her North American colonies.
1765
The Carron Ironworks are opened.
1765
A young Burns attended school at Alloway Mill for a few weeks then taught by John Murdoch in Alloway Village.
1766
James Watt develops the Steam Engine.
1766
The family move to Mount Oliphant Farm by Alloway.
1767
The Old Pretender – James Francis Stewart dies.
1768
The first Encyclopaedia Brittanica published in Edinburgh.
1769
Spanish missionaries establish first mission in California.
1770
James Cook claims New Zealand and New Souh Wales for the British Crown.
Bengal famine – a third of the population dies.
The height of Glasgow’s tobacco trade with the American colonies.
1771
James Arkwright builds the first water-powered mill.
Walter Scott born.
First recorded ascent of Ben Nevis.
1772
Oxygen discovered in Sweden by Carl Wilhelm Scheele.
North Bridge, Edinburgh completed.
1773
The Boston Tea Party.
1774
Robert writes his first song “O once I lov’d (a bonie lass)”.
1776
Declaration of American Independence.
Adam Smith publishes “Wealth of Nations”.
1777
The family move to Lochlea Farm by Tarbolton.
1778
France is the first nation to recognise the USA.
1779
James Cook killed in Hawaii.
Luanda is the major slave port in West Africa.
First iron bridge built at Ironbridge in Shropshire.
1780
Glasgow’s population reaches 40,000.
1780
Bachelors Club in Tarbolton founded.
1781
Robert becomes a Freemason.
Robert works as a flax-dresser in Irvine.
1783
Famine in Iceland because of a volcanic eruption.
1784
The family move to Mossgiel Farm by Mauchline.
Death of William Burnes, buried in the Auld Kirk in Alloway.
The family changes the name to Burns.
Robert makes the acquaintance of Jean Armour.
Robert Burns elected Depute Master of St James Lodge, Tarbolton.
1785
Birth of Elizabeth Burns, daughter of Elizabeth Paton, a maidservant.
Robert writes “To a Mouse”.
1786
Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro” performed for the first time.
1786
Betrothal to Margaret Campbell “Highland Mary”.
Death of Margaret Campbell.
The Kilmarnock Edition published.
Twins, Robert and Jean, born to Jean Armour with whom undertakes a form of wedlock.
Robert visits Edinburgh.
1787
Freed slaves from London establish Freetown in Sierra Leone.
1787
Naismith portrait painted.
The Edinburgh Edition published.
Members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland toast Robert Burns as Caledonia’s Bard.
Robert fathers a child to an Edinburgh servant girl, May Cameron.
Robert visits The Borders, The Highlands, and Stirlingshire/Perthshire.
Robert meets Agnes McLehose.
Robert meets James Johnson and agrees to contribute to “The Scots Musical Museum”.
1788
First British convicts sent to Sydney, Australia.
Unrest in France.
The Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie, dies in Rome.
1788
Marriage of Robert Burns and Jean Armour in Mauchline.
Twin daughters are born to Jean.
Robert fathers son, Robert, born to Edinburgh servant girl, Jenny Clow.
Robert’s family moves to Ellisland Farm, Dumfriesshire.
Robert writes “Auld Lang Syne”.
1789
George Washington becomes the first President of the USA.
1789
Robert begins work as an excise officer.
Francis Wallace Burns born to Jean.
1790
Burning women at the stake for treason is abolished in England.
Flora MacDonald dies and is buried at Kilmuir in Skye.
1790
Robert writes “Tam o’ Shanter”.
Robert Burns is an inaugural subscriber to Dumfries Theatre.
1791
First American ship docks in Japan.
1791
William Nicol Burns born to Jean.
Robert takes leave of Agnes McLehose.
Elizabeth born to Anna Park, barmaid at the Globe Inn.
Formal renunciation of Ellisland Farm lease.
Robert’s family moves to Dumfries.
Robert writes “Ae Fond Kiss”.
1792
Prussia and Austria declare war on France.
Gustav III of Sweden assassinated.
Alexander MacKenzie travels across Canada.
1792
Elizabeth Riddell Burns born to Jean.
Burns is made an honorary member of The Royal Company of Archers.
1793
Louis XVI guillotined in Paris.
1793
Second Edinburgh Edition published.
Robert visits Galloway and Wigton (England).
1794
James Glencairn Burns born to Jean.
1795
First graphite pencil produced.
1795
Robert is a founder member of the Dumfries Volunteers.
1796
Napoleon occupies Venice.
Catherine the Great of Russia dies.
Jenner developing a smallpox vaccine.
Scottish missionary/explorer, Mungo Park, is the first European to see the River Niger.
1796
Death of Robert Burns and burial in St Michael’s Churchyard in Dumfries.
Birth of Maxwell Burns.
1908 › ALLOWAY BURNS CLUB INSTITUTED
Biography
Early life
Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1759 in the village of Alloway, two miles south of Ayr.
His parents, Willian Burnes[s] and Agnes Broun, were tenant farmers but they ensured their son received a relatively good education and he began to read avidly. He had become soured, and alienated many of his best friends by too freely expressing his sympathy with both the French Revolution and the then unpopular advocates of reform at home.