Robert Burns

Biography from BBC.com

• Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759, in the village of Alloway, two miles south of Ayr (Scotland). 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. The works of Alexander Pope, Henry Mackenzie and Laurence Sterne fired Burns' poetic impulse and relationships with the opposite sex provided his inspiration. “Handsome Nell,” for Nellie Kilpatrick, was his first song.

Biography from BBC.com

• Newly hailed as the Ploughman Poet because his poems complemented the growing literary taste for romanticism and pastoral pleasures, Burns arrived in Edinburgh, where he was welcomed by a circle of wealthy and important friends.

• Illicit relationships and fathering illegitimate children ran parallel to a productive period in his working life. His correspondence with Agnes 'Nancy' McLehose resulted in the classic “Ae Fond Kiss”. A collaboration with James Johnson led to a long-term involvement in The Scots Musical Museum, which included the likes of “Auld Lang Syne.”

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. A memorial edition of his poems was published to raise money for his wife and children.

Biography from BBC.com

Burns Night

• The Burns Supper is an institution of Scottish life: a night to celebrate the life and works of the national Bard. Suppers can range from an informal gathering of friends to a huge, formal dinner full of pomp and circumstance. This running order covers all the key elements you need to plan and structure a Burns Supper that suits your intentions.

January 25th

The Haggis• 1 cleaned sheep or lamb's stomach bag

2 lbs. dry oatmeal1 lb. chopped mutton suet1 lb. lamb or venison liver, boiled and minced2 cups stocksheep heart and lights, boiled and minced1 large chopped onion1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper1/2 tsp. allspice1/2 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. pepper 

This is the most traditional of all Scottish dishes, eaten on Burns Night (January 25th, the birthday of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, 1759-1796) and at Hogmanay (New Year's Eve). It is really a large round sausage; the skin being a sheep's paunch. The finest haggis of all is made with deer liver, served to the skirl of the pipes, cut open with a traditional 'sgian dubh' (black stocking knife) and accompanied by small glasses of neat Scotch whisky. This recipes dates from 1856.

Haggis – Mmmmm!

Auld Lang Syne (packet)• Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and auld lang syne?

– CHORUS: – For auld lang syne, my dear, – for auld lang syne, – we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, – for auld lang syne.

•We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,frae morning sun till dine ;But seas between us braid hae roar’dsin’ auld lang syne.

– CHORUS • And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere !

And gies a hand o’ thine !we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught,for auld lang syne.

– CHORUS

A Red, Red Rose (p.1317)O my Luve's like a red, red rose,

That's newly sprung in June: O my Luve's like the melodie, That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi' the sun;

And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve! And fare-thee-weel, a while!

And I will come again, my Luve, Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!   

Scots Wha HaeWilliam Wallace was appointed Guardian of Scotland and and Robert the

Bruce, was a king of Scotland who lead the clans into battle with the English.

Scots, Wha Hae. Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led, Welcome to your gory bed Or to victorie!

Now's the day, and now's the hour: See the front o' battle lour, See approach proud Edward's power - Chains and slaverie!

Wha will be a traitor knave? Wha will fill a coward's grave? Wha sae base as be a slave? - Let him turn, and flee!

Wha for Scotland's King and Law Freedom's sword will strongly draw, Freeman stand or freeman fa', Let him follow me!

By oppression's woes and pains, By your sons in servile chains, We will drain our dearest veins But they shall be free!

Scots, Who Have.Scots, who have with Wallace bled,Scots, who Bruce has often led,Welcome to your gory bedOr to victory!

Now is the day, and now is the hour:See the front of battle lour (impending),See approach proud Edward's power -Chains and slavery!

Who will be a traitor knave?Who will fill a coward's grave?Who so base as be a slave? -Let him turn, and flea!

Who for Scotland's King and LawFreedom's sword will strongly draw,Freeman stand or freeman fall,Let him follow me!

By oppression's woes and pains,By your sons in servile chains,We will drain our dearest veinsBut they shall be free!

To a Mouse (packet)

Adam Smith "Theory of Moral Sentiments“ (1790)

"How selfish so ever a man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature which interest him in the fortune of others, and render their happiness necessary to him, though he derive nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it."

To a Louse (packet)