Robert Graham Of Fintry
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Robert Graham of Fintry (1749-1815) was the 12th Laird of Fintry near
Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
and was one of
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...
's most supportive patrons, correspondent and loyal associate. Appointed a Commissioner of the Scottish Board of Excise he assisted Burns with his Excise career and during his 'loyalty' difficulties. He was a great admirer of his poetry and Burns wrote several epistles to him. Burns referred to him as "''Friend of my Life - True Patron of my Rhymes.''"


Life and character

He was the son of Robert Graham, 11th Laird of Fintry who died in October 1756 when Robert junior was only seven. He was tutored and then educated in Haddington, followed by
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. In 1770 he took over and managed the family estate in the old county of
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until in 1780 he was forced to sell the property because of financial difficulties, although a condition of the sale was that he retained his title. For a time he was the factor to Archibald Douglas of Douglas and the
Earl of Strathmore Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne is a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The earl is also Chief of Clan Lyon. History The established history of Clan Lyon states that the family is of French origin, with ...
, managing their lands in Forfar and Perth. He was appointed in 1787 as a Commissioner of the Scottish Board of Excise. On 12 April 1773 he married Margaret Elizabeth Mylne of Mylnfield, his second cousin, and the couple went on have no fewer than ten daughters and four sons. He died aged 65 in 1815. He was related to Sir Robert Graham of Strathcarron and
John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee John Graham, 7th of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee (21 July 1648 – 27 July 1689) was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, a Tory and an Episcopalian. As Graham of Claverhouse, he was responsible for policing southwest Scotland to suppress religi ...
, ''Bluidy Clavers,'' persecutor of the
Covenanter Covenanters were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. It originated in disputes with James VI and his son C ...
s. Graham was a Whig rather than a
Tory A Tory () is an individual who supports a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalist conservatism which upholds the established social order as it has evolved through the history of Great Britain. The To ...
and had Jacobite sentiments. His Edinburgh address was George Street. A 1990s revelation is that Graham was in 1793 paid £26 6s 0d. from Henry Dundas's spy network funding to spread pro William Pitt propaganda. He wrote a series of letters to Robert Dundas about radical activists in the Dundee area where he ran a group of paid informers.


Association with Robert Burns

On 31 August 1787 Graham met
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...
in
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at Athole House, seat of the
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whilst he was on his Highland Tour. In January 1788 Burns wrote to Graham requesting his patronage in his efforts to join the Excise and Graham gave his friend his full support. Later, when in December 1792 his loyalty to the crown was called into question, Graham gave him his support. Burns's doctor in Edinburgh was 'Lang' Sandy Wood and he is said to intervened on the poet's behalf to Graham after the poet had confided his interest in joining the excise. On 5 September 1787 Burns made his first mention of Graham in a letter to Josiah Walker. Burns described the experiences he had enjoyed at Athole House and one was "''Mr Graham of Fintrie's charms of conversation''".The Burns Encyclopaedia. Robert Graham of Fintry
/ref> Writing to
Frances Dunlop Frances Anne Wallace Dunlop (16 April 1730 – 24 May 1815) was a Scottish heiress, landowner, and correspondent and friend of poet Robert Burns. Life Dunlop was born on 16 April 1730. She descended from a brother of William Wallace, the Scot ...
on 2 August 1787 Burns said of Graham "''Mr Graham of Fintry, one of the worthiest and most accomplished Gentlemen, not only of this Country, but I will dare say it, of this age.''" Burns lost James Cunningham,
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, as his principal patron due to his untimely passing in 1790 and then saw Graham as his main remaining supporter who wielded significant influence. Burns commented that Graham was a "''Friend of the Poet, Tried and Leal (loyal).''" Burns sent Graham many manuscript copies of his poems and songs. Burns's Excise training was due to take place in Edinburgh however Burns, probably assisted by Graham, had it transferred to
Tarbolton Tarbolton () is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is near Failford, Mauchline, Ayr, and Kilmarnock. The old Fail Monastery was nearby and Robert Burns connections are strong, including the Bachelors' Club museum. Meaning of place-name ...
. He had to pay his Ayr supervisor, George Johnston and Graham for elements of his training. Burns in July 1789 confided in Graham that "''I am deliberating whether I had not better give up farming altogether.''" By January 1790 he had made up his mind, making him entirely dependent on his Excise career and promotions, which he hoped his patron would assist him with. In January 1794 Burns wrote to Graham suggesting the abolition of the Second Division of Excise. The war had resulted in a dramatic drop in imports and had lessened the Excise workload. He stated that he was concerned that no public servant should "''eat the bread of idleness''" but asked that he should not be revealed as the author of the suggestion. Burns's second brief Galloway Tour in June 1794 has been seen as an attempt by him to find another patron other that Graham, who had not been able or was unwilling to find him promotion, although Graham was apparently working on a transfer to a Port Division. Patrick Heron of the Kirroughtree Estate near
Newton Stewart Newton Stewart (Scottish Gaelic language, Gd: ''Baile Ùr nan Stiùbhartach'') is a former burgh town in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. The town is on the River Cree with most of the town to ...
was the personage who he hoped would assist him in his quest for promotion to Supervisor. Graham in 1796 was unable to grant Burns's request to be placed back on full pay during his final illness and instead sent him a private donation of £5.


Correspondence with Robert Graham and family

Around twenty letters survive from their correspondence. Burns's poetry sometimes covered controversial political topics and he clearly had great faith in Graham's friendship and tact. The letters are held by the
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is a museum which houses collections relating to the life of Robert Burns, Scotland's national Bard. It is run by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and is located within Alloway in Ayrshire, the village where ...
in
Alloway Alloway (, ) is a suburb of Ayr, and former village, in South Ayrshire, Scotland, located on the River Doon. It is best known as the birthplace of Robert Burns and the setting for his poem Tam o' Shanter (Burns poem), "Tam o' Shanter". Tobias Ba ...
,
South Ayrshire South Ayrshire (; , ) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire. South Ayrshire had an estimated population in 2021 of 112,45 ...
. On 7 January 1788 Burns wrote to Graham regarding his application to join the Excise "''I now solicit your Patronage. You know, I dare say, of an application I lately made to your Board, to be admitted an Officer of Excise. I have according to form, been examined by a Supervisor, and today I give in his Certificate with a request for an Order for instructions.''" In September 1788, writing from
Ellisland Farm Ellisland Farm lies about 6.5 mi/10.4 km northwest of Dumfries near the village of Auldgirth, located in the Parish of Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The complex is a museum in the farm Robert Burns built, lived in and ...
, Burn's commented that he saw his appointment to the Excise "''As my sheet anchor in life''" and enclosed his "''Epistle to Robert Fintry Esq., of Fintry.''" On 10 September 1788 Burns wrote the following epistle "''To Robert Graham of Fintry, Esq., with a request for an Excise Division''": This epistle accompanied a letter to Graham telling him that his home,
Ellisland Farm Ellisland Farm lies about 6.5 mi/10.4 km northwest of Dumfries near the village of Auldgirth, located in the Parish of Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The complex is a museum in the farm Robert Burns built, lived in and ...
"''does by no means promise to be such a Pennyworth as I was taught to expect''". Burns also revealed that he had lent money to keep Gilbert and his sisters on a 'farm in Ayrshire' so he had no financial reserves to help him with Ellisland. Then he came to the crux of the letter: "''There is one way by which I might be enabled to extricate myself from this embarrasment, a scheme which I hope and am certain is in your power to effectuate. I live here, Sir, in the very centre of a country Excise-Division; the present Officer lately lived on a farm which he rented in my nearest neighbourhood; and as the gentleman, owing to some legacies, is quite opulent, a removal could do him no manner of injury; and on a month's warning, to give me a little time to look again over my Instructions, I would not be afraid to enter on business. I do not know the name of his Division, as I have not yet got acquainted with any of the Dumfries Excise People; but his own name is Leonard Smith. It would suit me to enter on it, beginning of next Summer...''" Smith was moved, however Burns's machinations have been seen to portray the poet in the poor light of self-interest, however his experience of his father's trials and tribulations regarding farm leases and legal disputes would have preyed upon his mind. The final decision was however that of Collector Mitchell. Burns was able to obtain the Excise area in which he lived against normal practice which was aimed at preventing local friendships developing. No Excise officer was usually employed who had more than two children which was not a problem at the times and he was still technically a bachelor. The age limit was thirty however Burns was twenty-nine. One of the reasons for obtaining an Excise post was that the "''roving life of a gauger would facilitate the collection of material for a Scottish drama he had then in contemplation.''" Burns followed up on 1 September 1789 with "''To Mr Graham of Fintry, On being appointed to my Excise Division.''": Burns wrote to Graham regarding his employment, saying; "''I have found the Excise business go on a great deal smoother with me than I apprehended; owing a good deal to the generous friendship of Mr Mitchell, my Collector, and the kind assistance and instruction of Mr Findlater, my Supervisor - I dare to be honest, and I fear no labor.''" Another comment shed light on his working practices; "''I recorded every defaulter; but at the court, I myself begged off every poor body that was unable to pay, which seeming candour gave me so much implicit credit with the Hon. Bench that with high Compliments they gave me such ample vengeance on the rest that my Decreet is double the amount of any Division in the District.''" "''Epistle to Robert Graham Esq: of Fintry on the Election of the Dumfries string of Boroughs, Anno 1790''": In September 1790 Burns mentioned to Graham that he would gain essential experience and a better income if he were transferred to a Port Division such as
Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
,
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or
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. He had a view to being promoted to a Supervisor post somewhere in the North of Scotland. In December 1792 Burns became embroiled in accusations of disloyalty to the Crown following an incident at Dumfries's Theatre Royal and he wrote to Graham and appealed for help, writing on the last day of that year: "''I believe, Sir, I may aver it, and in the sight of Omnipotence, that I would not tell a deliberate Falsehood... and I say, that the allegation, whatever villain has made it, is a LIE! To the British Constitution, on Revolution principles, next after my God, I am mosy devoutly attached''". a formal inquiry was set up by the Excise and he only kept his job through his bond of friendship with his more immediate superiors and his professionalism as an officer that saved him. The first stanza of the 1791 "''Epistle to Robert Graham Esq., of Fintry''": 'Generous Graham' was the recipient of what is effectively a begging letter. In 1794 Burns wrote the last surviving letter to Graham, again urging promotion, and it finishes: "''Should the Chapter of Chances and Changes, which God forbid! ever place a Child of yours in the situation to need a Friend, as I have done; may they likewise find that Generous Friend that I have found in YOU!''" Burns also corresponded with Graham's eldest daughter, Anne, sending her a copy of "''Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs''" published by
George Thomson George Thomson may refer to: Government and politics * George Thomson (MP for Southwark) (c. 1607–1691), English merchant and Parliamentarian soldier, official and politician * George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth (1921–2008), Scottish p ...
and inscribed on the blank side of the title page "''Here, where the Scottish Muse immortal lives.''" He also instructed Thomson to send her a copy of his 'Sonatas'. To Elizabeth Graham, Robert's wife, he sent a copy of his "''The Rights of Women''" and a signed copy of the 1793 Edinburgh Edition of his poems, writing inside that "''It is probable, Madam, that this page may be read when the hand that now writes it, is mouldering in the dust.''"


See also

* Robert Aiken * Robert Ainsslie *
Jean Armour Jean Armour (25 February 1765 – 26 March 1834), also known as the "Belle of Mauchline", was the wife of the poet Robert Burns. She inspired many of his poems and bore him nine children, three of whom survived into adulthood. Biography Born in ...
* John Ballantine *
Lesley Baillie Lesley Baillie (1768–1843), later Mrs Lesley Cumming, was born at Mayville, Stevenston, Ayrshire. She was a daughter of Robert Baillie and married Robert Cumming of Logie, Moray. Her lasting fame derives from being Robert Burns's 'Bonnie Lesle ...
*
Alison Begbie Alison Begbie, Ellison Begbie or Elizabeth Gebbie (1762–1823), is said to have been the daughter of a farmer, born in the parish of Galston, and at the time of her courtship by Robert Burns she is thought to have been a servant or housekeeper ...
*
Nelly Blair Nelly Blair, later Nelly Smith (1759–1820) is sometimes suggested as being Scottish poet Robert Burns' first love. The true identity of Nell Burns himself did not identify his 'Handsome Nell' by name. Nelly Kilpatrick has been suggested as bei ...
*
Isabella Burns Isabella Burns (Isabella Begg) (1771–1858) or Isobel Burns (Isobel Begg) was the youngest sister of the poet Robert Burns, born to William Burness and Agnes Broun at Mount Oliphant Farm on the 27 June 1771 and christened on 2 July 1771 by Rev ...
*
May Cameron May Cameron also known as Margaret, Peggy, or Meg Cameron,Burns Encyclopedia
Ret ...
*
Mary Campbell (Highland Mary) Mary Campbell, also known as Highland MaryBurns Encyclopedia
Retriev ...
*
Jenny Clow Janet, Jennie or Jenny Clow was a domestic servant to Mrs Agnes Maclehose, née Craig (1759-1841), the Clarinda to Robert Burns' Sylvander.Gavin Hamilton (lawyer) Gavin Hamilton was one of Robert Burns's closest friends and a patron. The first ' Kilmarnock Edition' of his poems were dedicated to Gavin Hamilton. Life and character He was born in 1751 in Mauchline, Scotland. His father, John Hamilton of Ky ...
*
Helen Hyslop Helen Hyslop, also Nelly or Ellen Hyslop was a 'noted local beauty' in Moffat and a strong local tradition maintains that Robert Burns was for some time a great admirer of her and that she had an affair with him. A daughter, also Helen, is said t ...
* James McKie *
John Syme (lawyer) John Syme (1755 – 24 November 1831) was a Scottish lawyer and one of the poet Robert Burns's closest friends during his time in Dumfries. In the summers of 1793 and 1794 he joined Burns on his two short tours of Galloway. Syme and Alexander C ...


References

;Notes


Further reading

# Brown, Hilton (1949). ''There was a Lad.'' London : Hamish Hamilton. # Burns, Robert (1839). ''The Poetical Works of Robert Burns. The Aldine Edition of the British Poets''. London : William Pickering. # De Lancey Ferguson, J. (1931). ''The Letters of Robert Burns''. Oxford : Clarendon Press. # Douglas, William Scott (Edit.) 1938. ''The Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns.'' Glasgow : The Scottish Daily Express. # Hecht, Hans (1936). ''Robert Burns. The Man and His Work.'' London : William Hodge. # Mackay, James (2004). ''Burns. A Biography of Robert Burns''. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. . # McIntyre, Ian (2001). ''Robert Burns. A Life''. New York : Welcome Rain Publishers. . # McNaught, Duncan (1921). ''The Truth about Robert Burns''. Glasgow : Maclehose, Jackson & Co. # McQueen, Colin Hunter (2008). ''Hunter's Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns.'' Messsrs Hunter McQueen & Hunter. # Purdie, D., McCue & Carruthers, G (2013).''Maurice Lindsay's The Burns Encyclopaedia.'' London:Robert Hale.


External links


Researching the Life and Times of Robert Burns
Burns Researcher's site. {{DEFAULTSORT:Graham of Fintry, Robert Scottish literature Robert Burns People of the Scottish Enlightenment 1815 deaths 1749 births