Vol 5 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

— —Appr.ndix. 75—R. B."Table, Four Cliairs, Wooden Ladle, Tongs and Poker,Manuscript of Letter by Burns to his wife, and a Leaf from hisExcise-book Mr William Nicholsoii, Dumfries. These articleswere given by Mrs Burns to her servant, Mary M'Lachlan, whenshe got married to the late Mr Andrew Nicholson, shoemaker,Dumfries; and they were sold on the 3d February, 1888, bypublic auction, in Dumfries, on the death of Mr William Nicholson.Two chairs, £12 10s, to Mr William M'Kissock, PloughInn, High Street, Ayr; another chair, £9 15s, to Mr J. J. Glover,painter, Dumfries ; the fourth chair, £8, to Mi's Smith, GlobeInn, Dumfries ;the round table, £5 17s 6d, to Mr Reuben Place,furniture and book-dealer, Dumfries ; the ladle, £3 5s, to MrM'Kissock; tongs, £1 12s, to Mr Andrew Lawson, Dumfries.Greatest interest centred in the sale of the MSS. The letterwas one written by Burns to his wife a few weeks before shejoined him at Ellisland, and has been published in Dr HatelyWaddell's edition of his woi-ks. Its value is lessened by theabsence of the signature, which Mr Dunbar explained MrNicholson had been prevailed upon to cut off and give to the lateColonel Grierson ;and it is slightly torn at several places. It iswritten on the two sides of a single quarto sheet. The folio wingisa copy of it :Ellisland, 12tli Sep., 178S.My De.AlR Love, — I received your kind letter with a pleasure wliich nylettci' but one from you could have given me.I dreamed of you the wholenight last ; but, ahis ! I fear it will be three weeks yet ere I can hope fortlie liappiness of seeing you. My harvest is going on. I have some to cutdown still ; but I put in two stacks to-day ; so I [am] as tired as a dog.. . . get one of Gilbert's sweet milk cheese, and send it.[On] second thoughts I believe you had best get the half of Gilbert's we)>of table linen, and make it up, though I think it damnably dear ; but it isno outlaid money to us, you know. I have just now consulted my oldlandlady about table linen, and she thinks I may ha\e the best for twoshillings per yard ; so, after alrl, let it alone until I return, and some daysoon I will be in Dumfries and will ask the price there. I expect yournew gouns will Ije very forward or ready to make against I be home to getthe Baiveridge. I have written my long-thought-on letter to Mr Graham,. . . Strathspey long in hands ofcommissioner of excise ; and have sent him a sheetful [of poe-]try besides.Now I talk of Poetry, I had. . . . for Johnson's Collection.This manuscript went at relatively the lowest price of any articlein the collection, being purcliased by Mr James Ricliardson, 82C^ueen Sticot, Glasgow (a loyal Dumfriosian) fur £3 5s. MrIlichai-dson was also tiie purchaser of the leaf from the Excise