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Robert Burns. Autograph letter signed ("Sylvander"), to "Clarinda" [Mrs. Agnes M'Lehose]. [Mossgiel, 23 February 1788]....
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Description
Rare love letter from Burns ("Sylvander") to "Clarinda" with four lines of verse
Robert Burns. Autograph letter signed ("Sylvander"), to
"Clarinda" [Mrs. Agnes M'Lehose]. [Mossgiel, 23 February 1788].2 pages, 4to (c.187 x 183 mm ). With portion of integral address panel. Housed in a cloth tray case.
Agnes McLehose (1759-1841) was already separated from an abusive husband when she met Burns at a tea party in 1787. They immediately struck up the passionate friendship which resulted in the "Sylvander" and "Clarinda" letters; Burns addressed a number of poems to her in the period up to her departure for Jamaica in 1791 to attempt a rapprochement with her husband.
The condition of the letter resembles most of the existing letters by Burns to "Clarinda" and is characteristic of her idea of discretion, which gave this letter a certain notoriety. Clarinda either mutilated or obscured almost all Proper names. This resulted in publication of a corrupted text of the letter in the Banffshire Journal. The line "I know the Excise must be my lot" was wrongly read as "I know the Indies must be my lot". There is in fact no evidence that Burns ever thought of the Indies after turning his back on Greenock in 1786.
The letter includes a four-line verse:
"Whatever place, whatever land I see
My heart, untravell'd, fondly turns to thee:
Still to 'Clarinda' turns with ceaseless pain;
And drags, at each remove, a lengthen'd chain!"
Condition: Lacking most of the integral address leaf and about one line of the letter; several heavy ink deletions causing slight losses at fold intersections; creased and worn at folds; some soiling; pale offset stains from wax seal; remnants of previous mounting along edge of integral address portion; remnants of red wax seal on address panel.
Provenance: William E. Stockhausen (his sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 19 November 1974, lot 61). From the William A. Strutz Library.
View all of [The William A. Strutz Library ]
Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
27th
Thursday
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