Fragment of a letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, 24 February 1787

Key details

Archive number: NTS/02/25/BRN/01/75
Alt. number: 3.6169
Date: 24 February 1787
On display: No
Creator: Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient: Ballantine, John

Explore correspondence between the creator and recipient

Description

Fragment of a letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, dated 24 February 1787.

This is a fragment of a letter which Burns wrote to John Ballantine, advising him that the Edinburgh edition of his poems is about to go into print. This fragment relates to him sitting for a portrait to go on the frontispiece.

The eminent engraver Burns mentions is John Beugo for whom he sat a number of times while he engraved a copy of the portrait done by Alexander Nasmyth. How this portion of the original letter has been separated from the rest of the letter is unknown.

The fragment has been docketed by someone writing 'Robert Burns - given to me by his brother Gilbert Burns'.

John Ballantine was an Ayr merchant and banker who became the Provost of Ayr in 1787. Ballantine was supportive of Burns's literary efforts and in turn Burns kept up a correspondence with him, detailing his experiences in Edinburgh.

Archive information

Themes

Hierarchy

Letters from and to Robert Burns ( )
Fragment of a letter from Robert Burns to John Ballantine, 24 February 1787

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