Robbie Burns was born on 25th January 1759 in Alloway. His father was a farmer who sadly hit on hard times and became bankrupt in 1777. It was this tragedy that made Robbie a rebel and he opposed the social order of the day. He became a critic of religion as he believed it condoned and perpetuated inequality. Robbie throughout his life he, was in favour of a humanist approach.
He received a sporadic, formal education and his knowledge of Scottish literature was learnt by listening to oral history in the form of folk songs and tales and the telling of the 15th Century poem “The Wallace”. His knowledge of English writers included Shakespeare, Milton and Dryden.
Robbie had an affair with Elizabeth Patton, who was a servant girl and in 1785 she gave birth to his first child which he celebrated with a poem he wrote. In 1786 he fell in love Jean Armour, who also bore him twins out of wedlock. Robbie was broken-hearted as Jean’s father refused to consent to a union between Robbie and Jean. So, Robbie found a new love, Mary Campbell, who after officially becoming engaged, sadly died soon after. He was reconciled with Jean and he finally married her in 1788.
His first book `Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect’ was published in Kilmarnock on 31 July 1786. Burns selected his Kilmarnock poems with care: he was anxious to impress a genteel Edinburgh audience. It was a success and on 27 November 1786, Edinburgh welcomed him with open arms.
Together with James Johnson, a collector of Scottish songs, he assisted with the publication of The Scots Musical Museum (1787 – 1803) and A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs for the Voice (1787- 1803). Burns went on to spend the latter part of his life collecting and writing songs for traditional Scottish airs which he deemed as a service to Scotland and refused all payment.
English literary critics considered he squandered his talent on the Edinburgh genteel and yet his poetry is now considered as, that of a genius and has become a Scottish national poet. Many will sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ each new year with thanks to Robbie Burns. He died in 1796 and his legacy lives on!
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