Robert Burns

NAME Robert Burns, commonly known as Rabbie Burns.

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Robert Burns is renowned as Scotland's national poet. He is famous for his poetry and songs written in Scots vernacular, including "Auld Lang Syne" and "Scots Wha Nae."

BIRTH Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759, in Alloway, two miles (3 km) south of Ayr, Scotland.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Robert Burns was the eldest son of William Burnes, a poor peasant tenant farmer, and Agnes Brown Burnes, who supplemented the family income by making soft white cheese. He had six younger siblings. His mother was a fine singer and knew many folk songs.

Despite his parents' modest means, they prioritized education for their children.

CHILDHOOD Burns lived in a house built by his father, now the Burns Cottage Museum, until he was seven years old. The family then moved due to financial difficulties.

His early life was shaped by hard work on the family farm. 

Young Rabbie wasn't exactly born with a silver sporran in his mouth. But he did have a nose for a good book, even as a teenager, and started scribbling verses that got passed around like wildfire. An old lady who lived with them, Betty Davidson, filled his head with tales and songs that would later pop up in his poems.

EDUCATION Burns’ father ensured he read widely, including works by Dryden, Milton, Shakespeare, and most 18th-century English writers. He attended village schools, received a thorough grounding in English, French, and Math, and had three short periods of formal study when his father could afford it. Poverty limited his formal education, but he self-educated extensively, encouraged by his father and exposed to Scottish folk songs, legends, and proverbs by his mother..

CAREER RECORD Burns worked long hours on his father’s unsuccessful farm and later as a flax dresser in Irvine. After the shop burned down, he returned home penniless. 

Following his father's death in 1784, he worked with his brother and sisters on their leased farm, writing poetry during this time. 

His literary talents emerged with the publication of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect in 1786. He published the book to fund emigration to Jamaica, but its success kept him in Scotland. 

In 1791, appreciative Edinburgh society secured him a position as a tax inspector, where he spent his time snooping and tax levying throughout his district.

APPEARANCE Burns was robust at 5ft 10ins with a slight stoop from years of farm work. Dark-haired with keen, glowing eyes and a slightly feminine, attractive face with pretty pink coloring. He did not have a particularly strong Scottish accent. Burns wore his hair long and tied back in a ponytail and had size 8 feet.

Portrait of Burns by Alexander Nasmyth, 178

FASHION Burns' fashion sense included practical attire suitable for his farming background. He is often depicted wearing traditional Scottish clothing. As his social standing improved, wore more formal attire.

The Scottish brimless wool cap, Tam O'Shanter, is named after Burns' poem "Tam O'Shanter."

CHARACTER Burns was courteous, dignified, sentimental, romantic, gregarious, bawdy, and charismatic. His bristling independence and blunt manner occasionally alienated admirers. Described by Walter Scott as "A high sounded plebeian."

SENSE OF HUMOUR  Burn's humor often had a satirical edge, as seen in his poems that lampooned religious hypocrisy and social injustices.

He referred to a critic as "Thou pickle herring in the puppet show of nonsense." 

RELATIONSHIPS Burns was responsive to feminine charms, writing many early love lyrics. He had numerous romantic entanglements and fathered 13 children with four different women. 

In 1785, Robert Burns met Jean Armour, the daughter of a local builder. Jean, a charming brunette with a constant smile and a warm heart, quickly captured his affections. Their love blossomed, but it wasn't all smooth sailing. When Jean became pregnant, her father, a strict Calvinist, threw a wrench in their plans. He disapproved of Burns' unconventional ways and wouldn't hear of a marriage. But love finds a way, as they say. By 1787, Burns and Jean had rekindled their romance, and their marriage was registered on August 5, 1788 in Mauchline, She inspired many of his poems and bore him nine children, three of whom survived into adulthood.

Jean Armour, painted by John Alexander Gilfillan, in 1822

MONEY AND FAME Despite early financial struggles, the success of his poetry brought Burns fame and a modest level of financial stability, though he never became wealthy.

After taking over his father's farm, Burns and his brother earned £7 per year each. As a tax inspector, he earned £70 per year. He used £500 from the second edition of his poems to buy a farm.

FOOD AND DRINK As a youngster, Burns ate fish, cheese, potatoes, oatmeal, and kail. A heavy drinker but not an alcoholic, he frequented inns like the Hole in the Wall and the Globe Tavern in Dumfries, fathering a baby by a Globe barmaid.

MUSIC AND ARTS Burns had a keen musical ear and wrote 250 songs, contributing significantly to Scottish music. He is celebrated as the National Poet of Scotland.

Right then, let's talk about "Auld Lang Syne," that ubiquitous New Year's Eve anthem that gets belted out with more gusto than accuracy. Though Rabbie Burns gets most of the credit, but it's not quite that simple.

In 1788, Burns came across "an old man singing" a ballad and was deeply moved by the words and in particular the line "should old acquaintances be forgot." Now, this ballad was already over 150 years old, so Burns wasn't exactly starting from scratch. He added a couple of his own verses and sent it off to his pal James Johnson, who was putting together a collection of Scottish songs.

Johnson stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it until after Burns had shuffled off this mortal coil. So, while "Auld Lang Syne" might be synonymous with Rabbie Burns, it's more like a Frankenstein's monster of Scottish folk tradition, stitched together by the Bard himself. Still, there's no denying Burns' magic touch. He took a dusty old fragment and turned it into a global knees-up anthem. 

LITERATURE In 1784, a young Rabbie Burns stumbled across the writings of Robert Fergusson, a poet from Edinburgh. Fergusson, along with the rich tapestry of Scottish folk tradition and older Scottish poetry, sparked a fire in Burns. He saw the potential – the raw, powerful beauty – of using the everyday language of the people in his own work.

This revelation led to a revolutionary move in 1786. Burns defied the literary establishment and published "Poems in Scottish Dialect." Back then, using everyday Scottish speech wasn't considered proper for serious writing. But Burns didn't care. He wrote what he knew, what he felt, in the language of his heart and his homeland. And it was a gamble that paid off. These poems launched him onto the literary scene.

His work wasn't all love sonnets and fluffy clouds. Burns had a sharp wit and wasn't afraid to use it. Take "Holy Fair," a scathing satire aimed squarely at the narrow-mindedness of some Calvinist preachers. This poem, along with others like it, helped spread Burns' name far and wide.

He wasn't just a social commentator, though. Burns had a romantic side too. Poems like "Highland Mary" showcased his deep affection for a lost love. But don't get too misty-eyed – Burns was a man of the world, and Jean Armour, his future wife, might have had something to say about that particular poem!

Then there's the iconic "Scots Wha Hae," a poem that stirs the soul of any Scot worth their tartan. While not the official national anthem, it might as well be. It's a rallying cry, a celebration of Scottish resilience and heroism.

But Burns wasn't all battles and ballads. He could spin a yarn too. "Tam o' Shanter" is a gloriously bawdy tale of witches, demons, and a man in a very tight spot. It's a poem that will have you laughing out loud (and maybe blushing a little).

Burns could also be surprisingly empathetic. "To a Mouse" takes the reader on a journey from the perspective of a wee field mouse, suddenly homeless thanks to a farmer's plow. It's a reminder of the fragility of life and the impact we have on the world around us.

And who can forget "Green Grow the Rushes"? This poem, with its catchy rhythm, has been passed down through generations. It's a testament to the enduring power of Burns' words, even if the story behind the name "Gringos" might be a bit apocryphal.

Here's the thing about Rabbie: he wasn't your typical poet. Sure, he wrote about love and nature, but he also had a sharp wit and wasn't afraid to poke fun at the establishment, especially those stuffy religious types. He had a way with words that could make you laugh or cry, sometimes both at the same time.

NATURE Burns' poetry often reflects a deep appreciation for nature, as seen in his numerous references to the Scottish countryside and its wildlife.

PETS Burns had a pet ewe named Poor Mallie whom he immortalized in his poetry. He also had a favorite dog named Luath

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Burns' hobbies included reading and writing poetry. He also enjoyed socializing, engaging in spirited debates and riding around the countryside.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Burns had a basic knowledge of mathematics and some understanding of scientific principles, partly due to his self-education.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Raised in a Presbyterian household, Burns retained a belief in a good and pure God but preferred a more liberal form of Christianity over the rigid Scottish Calvinism. His satirical poems often criticized religious hypocrisy.

POLITICS Burns was an outspoken supporter of the Republican cause after the French Revolution. His enthusiasm for liberty and social justice dismayed many of his admirers.

SCANDAL Burns' lifestyle, characterized by drinking and womanizing, led to numerous scandals. He fathered multiple children out of wedlock and openly criticized religious and political establishments.

MILITARY RECORD Burns’ support for the French Revolution alienated him from many friends.

As an Exciseman he felt compelled to join the Royal Dumfries Volunteers in March 1795.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Arduous farm work and undernourishment in youth led to rheumatic heart disease. His health declined each winter, and he eventually died of the disease aged 37.

HOMES Burns lived in various places throughout his life,. Here's a summary:

1759 Born in a one roomed thatched white washed cottage in Alloway (now known as Burns Cottage)

1766, His father took the tenancy of the 70-acre (280,000 m2) Mount Oliphant farm, southeast of Alloway.

1777 Lived with his large family on the 130-acre (0.53 km2) farm at Lochlea, near Tarbolton, south Ayrshire

1781-82 Burns moved temporarily to Irvine to learn to become a flax-dresser

1782-84 Burns went back to Lochlea farm

1784-88 Leased farm of Mossgiel near Mauchline with his brother. Lived in Castle street, Mauchline.

1788-91 Bought farm at Ellisland, Dumfriesshire

1791 His last homes were in Dumfries, firstly in Bank Street then Burns Street formerly Mills Street with Jean Armour. Its now a Burns Museum. 

The Burns Cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire. By DeFacto 

TRAVEL Burns traveled within Scotland, engaging with Edinburgh society and securing patronage for his work. However, his plans to emigrate to Jamaica never materialized.

He was a passenger on Patrick Millar’s experimental steam-driven vessel on Dalswinton Loch.

DEATH Burns passed away in his Dumfries home on July 21, 1796. His last words were, "Don't let the awkward squad fire over me." His wife gave birth to their youngest son on the same day as his funeral. 

He was initially buried in St. Michael's Churchyard, and later his body was moved to the Burns Mausoleum in the same cemetery.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Burns's life and work have been depicted in various films, documentaries, and literary adaptations, celebrating his legacy as Scotland's national poet. 

You can't escape Rabbie Burns in Scotland these days, from museums to whisky labels

The Canadian band Rush got their name from the "Green Grows the Rushes O" poem. 

ACHIEVEMENTS Burns's legacy includes a vast body of poetic and musical work.  He is celebrated annually on Burns Night, and his influence extends worldwide, with numerous statues, towns named after him, and a significant following in countries like Russia. 

He has more statues worldwide than any non-religious figure except Queen Victoria and Christopher Columbus.

Sources (1) History of Food (2) The Frank Muir Book (3) Microsoft® Encarta® 99 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.