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98-540: A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), the author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, known as Burns Night ( Scots : Burns Nicht ; Scottish Gaelic : Oidhche na Taigeise ) also called Robert Burns Day or Rabbie Burns Day (or Robbie Burns Day in Canada). However, in principle, celebrations may be held at any other time of

196-514: A chieftain or laird required an animal to be slaughtered for meat (whether sheep or cattle) the workmen were allowed to keep the offal as their share. A joke sometimes maintained is that a haggis is a small Scottish animal with longer legs on one side, so that it can run around the steep hills of the Scottish highlands without falling over. According to one poll, 33 percent of American visitors to Scotland believed haggis to be an animal. Haggis

294-524: A longship [i.e., from Scandinavia ] even before Scotland was a single nation". She cites etymologist Walter William Skeat as further suggestion of possible Scandinavian origins: Skeat claimed that the hag– element of the word is derived from the Old Norse haggw or the Old Icelandic hoggva ( höggva meaning 'to chop' in modern Icelandic ), Modern Scots hag , meaning 'to hew' or strike with

392-508: A "heaven-taught ploughman". Burns influenced later Scottish writers, especially Hugh MacDiarmid , who fought to dismantle what he felt had become a sentimental cult that dominated Scottish literature. Burns had a significant influence on Alexander McLachlan and some influence on Robert Service . While this may not be so obvious in Service's English verse, which is Kiplingesque, it is more readily apparent in his Scots verse. Haggis It

490-489: A 1792 poem argued as an example of his abolitionist views, is disputed. His name is absent from any abolitionist petition written in Scotland during the period, and according to academic Lisa Williams, Burns "is strangely silent on the question of chattel slavery compared to other contemporary poets. Perhaps this was due to his government position, severe limitations on free speech at the time or his association with beneficiaries of

588-466: A Haggis ), Scotch whisky and the recitation of Burns's poetry. Formal dinners are hosted by organisations such as universities, sporting clubs, Burns Clubs, the Freemasons or St. Andrew's Societies ; they occasionally end with dancing or a cèilidh . During the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Burns Night celebrations moved online and were popular amongst families eating at home. Formal suppers follow

686-447: A Haggis " of 1786. Haggis is traditionally served with " neeps and tatties ", boiled and mashed separately, and a dram (a glass of Scotch whisky ), especially as the main course of a Burns supper . Haggis is popularly assumed to be of Scottish origin, but many countries have produced similar dishes with different names. However, the recipes as known and standardised now are distinctly Scottish. The first known written recipes for

784-403: A Haggis! At the line His knife see rustic Labour dicht , the speaker normally draws and sharpens a knife. At the line An' cut you up wi' ready slicht , he plunges it into the haggis and cuts it open from end to end. When done properly, the "ceremony" is a highlight of the evening. At the end of the poem, a whisky toast will be proposed to the haggis, and the company will sit down to

882-447: A Mouse ", " Epitaph for James Smith ", and " To a Mountain Daisy ", many of which had been written at Mossgiel farm. The success of the work was immediate, and soon he was known across the country. Burns postponed his planned emigration to Jamaica on 1 September, and was at Mossgiel two days later when he learnt that Jean Armour had given birth to twins. On 4 September Thomas Blacklock wrote

980-465: A Mouse ", " To a Louse ", " Tam o' Shanter ", " The Twa Dogs ", and " Holy Willie's Prayer "). That may be done by the individual guests or by invited experts, and it goes on for as long as the guests wish. It may include other works by poets influenced by Burns, particularly poets writing in Scots. Foreign guests may also be invited to sing or say works from their land. Finally, the host will call on one of

1078-640: A dish of grated meat in a pig's caul, without using such a name. The Scottish poem " Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy ", which is dated before 1520 (the generally accepted date prior to the death of William Dunbar , one of the composers), refers to "haggeis". Thy fowll front had, and he that Bartilmo flaid; The gallowis gaipis eftir thy graceles gruntill, As thow wald for ane haggeis, hungry gled.  — William Dunbar, Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy An early printed recipe for haggis appears in 1615 in The English Huswife by Gervase Markham . It contains

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1176-553: A dish of the name, made with offal and herbs, are as "hagese", in the verse cookbook Liber Cure Cocorum dating from around 1430 in Lancashire , north west England , and, as "hagws of a schepe" from an English cookbook also of c. 1430. For hagese . Þe hert of schepe, þe nere þou take, Þo bowel noght þou shalle forsake, On þe turbilen made, and boyled wele, Hacke alle togeder with gode persole, The earlier (1390) book The Forme of Cury by Richard II's master cooks includes

1274-485: A distant hill, Your pin would help to mend a mill In time of need, While through your pores the dews distill Like amber bead. His knife see rustic Labour dicht, An' cut you up wi' ready slicht, Trenching your gushing entrails bricht, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sicht, Warm-reekin, rich! His knife see rustic Labour sharpen, And cut you up with practiced skill, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like any ditch; And then, Oh what

1372-560: A family, he accepted a job offer from Patrick Douglas, an absentee landowner who lived in Cumnock , to work on his sugar plantations near Port Antonio , Jamaica . Douglas' plantations were managed by his brother Charles, and the job offer, which had a salary of £30 per annum, entailed working in Jamaica as a "book-keeper", whose duties included serving as an assistant overseer to the Black slaves on

1470-508: A four-volume edition of his complete works and a biography written by James Currie. Subscriptions were raised to meet the initial cost of publication, which was in the hands of Thomas Cadell and William Davies in London and William Creech, bookseller in Edinburgh. Hogg records that fund-raising for Burns's family was embarrassingly slow, and it took several years to accumulate significant funds through

1568-416: A friend of mine overthrew all my schemes, by opening new prospects to my poetic ambition. The Doctor belonged to a set of critics for whose applause I had not dared to hope. His opinion that I would meet with encouragement in Edinburgh for a second edition, fired me so much, that away I posted for that city, without a single acquaintance, or a single letter of introduction." On 27 November 1786 Burns borrowed

1666-541: A glorious sight, Warm-steaming, rich! Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve, Are bent like drums; Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, "Bethankit" hums. Then, spoon for spoon, they stretch and strive: Devil take the hindmost, on they drive, 'Til all their well-swollen bellies soon Are tight as drums; Then old Master, most likely to burst, "Thanks be" hums. Is there that o're his French ragout Or olio that wad staw

1764-479: A grace As lang's my airm. Nice seeing your honest, chubby face, Great chieftain of the sausage race! Above them all you take your place, Belly, tripe, or links: Well are you worthy of a grace As long as my arm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o' need, While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead. The groaning platter there you fill, Your buttocks like

1862-540: A guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit; Thro' bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit! Poor devil! See him over his trash, As feeble as a withered rush, His spindly leg a good whip-lash, His fist a nit: Through bloody flood or field to dash, Oh how unfit! But mark the Rustic, haggis fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread. Clap in his wallie nieve a blade, He'll mak it whistle; An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned, Like taps o' thristle. But mark

1960-518: A lasting impression on, the 16-year-old Walter Scott , who described him later with great admiration: [His person was strong and robust;] his manners rustic, not clownish, a sort of dignified plainness and simplicity which received part of its effect perhaps from knowledge of his extraordinary talents. His features are presented in Mr Nasmyth's picture but to me it conveys the idea that they are diminished, as if seen in perspective. I think his countenance

2058-515: A letter expressing admiration for the poetry in the Kilmarnock volume, and suggesting an enlarged second edition. A copy of it was passed to Burns, who later recalled, "I had taken the last farewell of my few friends, my chest was on the road to Greenock; I had composed the last song I should ever measure in Scotland ;– 'The Gloomy night is gathering fast' – when a letter from Dr Blacklock to

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2156-527: A local plasterer of Queensbury Street, Dumfries. The skull was later returned to the tomb. A plaster cast was sent to George Combe , a Scottish lawyer and practitioner of phrenology based in Edinburgh. Combe published a report about his findings, entitled ‘Phrenological development of Robert Burns. From a cast on his skull moulded at Dumfries, the 31st day of March, 1834’. It is unknown how many casts were made by Fraser, with some sources reporting three were made. Six casts are known though some may be copies of

2254-497: A paper attesting his marriage to Jean, but her father "was in the greatest distress, and fainted away". To avoid disgrace, her parents sent her to live with her uncle in Paisley . Although Armour's father initially forbade it, they were married in 1788. Armour bore him nine children, three of whom survived infancy. Burns had encountered financial difficulties due to his lack of success as a farmer. In order to make enough money to support

2352-432: A physical relationship, Burns moved on to Jenny Clow (1766–1792), Nancy's domestic servant, who bore him a son, Robert Burns Clow, in 1788. He also had an affair with a servant girl, Margaret "May" Cameron . His relationship with Nancy concluded in 1791 with a final meeting in Edinburgh before she sailed to Jamaica for what turned out to be a short-lived reconciliation with her estranged husband. Before she left, he sent her

2450-596: A poet. He continued to write poems and songs and began a commonplace book in 1783, while his father fought a legal dispute with his landlord. The case went to the Court of Session , and Burnes was upheld in January 1784, a fortnight before he died. Robert and Gilbert made an ineffectual struggle to keep on the farm, but after its failure they moved to Mossgiel Farm , near Mauchline , in March, which they maintained with an uphill fight for

2548-521: A pony and set out for Edinburgh . On 14 December William Creech issued subscription bills for the first Edinburgh edition of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect , which was published on 17 April 1787. Within a week of this event, Burns had sold his copyright to Creech for 100 guineas. For the edition, Creech commissioned Alexander Nasmyth to paint the oval bust-length portrait now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery , which

2646-399: A publisher commissioned arrangements of "Scottish, Welsh and Irish Airs" by such eminent composers of the day as Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven , with new lyrics. The contributors of lyrics included Burns. While such arrangements had wide popular appeal, Beethoven's music was more advanced and difficult to play than Thomson intended. Burns described how he had to master singing

2744-544: A section entitled "Skill in Oate meale": "The use and vertues of these two severall kinds of Oate-meales in maintaining the Family, they are so many (according to the many customes of many Nations) that it is almost impossible to recken all"; and then proceeds to give a description of "oat-meale mixed with blood, and the Liver of either Sheepe, Calfe or Swine, maketh that pudding which is called

2842-439: A sharp weapon, relating to the chopped-up contents of the dish. In her book The Haggis: A Little History , Dickson Wright suggests that haggis was invented as a way of cooking quick-spoiling offal near the site of a hunt, without the need to carry along an additional cooking vessel. The liver and kidneys could be grilled directly over a fire, but this treatment was unsuitable for the stomach, intestines, or lungs. Chopping up

2940-431: A sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi' perfect scunner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? Is there one, that over his French ragout, Or olio that would give pause to a sow, Or fricassee that would make her spew With perfect loathing, Looks down with sneering, scornful view On such a dinner? Poor devil! see him ower his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank,

3038-408: A standard order. A bagpiper generally greets the guests, who gather and mix as at any informal party. At less formal gatherings, traditional Scottish music is played. The host says a few words, welcoming everyone to the supper and perhaps stating the reason for it. In some regions, particularly the west coast of Scotland and Outer Hebrides, "O Flower of Scotland" is sung immediately preceding

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3136-568: A third of the 600 songs in the whole collection, as well as making a considerable editorial contribution. The final volume was published in 1803. On his return from Edinburgh in February 1788, he resumed his relationship with Jean Armour and they married in March 1788. He took out a lease on Ellisland Farm, Dumfriesshire, settling there in June. He also took up a training position as an exciseman or gauger, which involved long rides and detailed bookkeeping. He

3234-559: A warrant for an enormous sum ... I am wandering from one friend's house to another." On 31 July 1786 John Wilson published the volume of works by Robert Burns, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect . Known as the Kilmarnock volume , it sold for 3 shillings and contained much of his best writing, including "The Twa Dogs" (which features Luath, his Border Collie ), " Address to the Deil ", " Halloween ", " The Cotter's Saturday Night ", " To

3332-455: Is believed that food similar to haggis — perishable offal quickly cooked inside an animal's stomach, all conveniently available after a hunt — was eaten from ancient times. Although the name "hagws" or "hagese" was first recorded in England c. 1430, the dish is considered traditionally of Scottish origin. It is even the national dish, as a result of Scots poet Robert Burns ' poem " Address to

3430-558: Is held on 25 January each year to mark the Bard’s birthday; considers that Burns was one of the greatest poets and that his work has influenced thinkers across the world; notes that Burns' first published collection, Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect , also known as the "Kilmarnock Edition", published in 1786, did much to popularise and champion the Scots language, and considers that this is one of his most important legacies; believes that

3528-399: Is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and " Scots Wha Hae " served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well known across the world today include " A Red, Red Rose ", " A Man's a Man for A' That ", " To a Louse ", " To a Mouse ", " The Battle of Sherramuir ", " Tam o' Shanter " and " Ae Fond Kiss ". Burns

3626-438: Is produced. Haggis is often served in Scottish fast-food establishments, in the shape of a large sausage and deep fried in batter. Together with chips, this comprises a "haggis supper". A "haggis burger" is a patty of fried haggis served on a bun. A " haggis pakora " is another deep fried variant, available in some Indian restaurants in Scotland. Haggis can be used as an ingredient in other dishes, even pizza , rather than

3724-676: Is set to the tune of "Major Graham" and " The Battle of Sherramuir " is set to the "Cameronian Rant". Burns alienated some acquaintances by freely expressing sympathy with the French, and American Revolutions, for the advocates of democratic reform and votes for all men and the Society of the Friends of the People which advocated Parliamentary Reform. His political views came to the notice of his employers, to which he pleaded his innocence. Burns met other radicals at

3822-476: Is traditionally served as part of the Burns supper on or near January 25, the birthday of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns . Burns wrote the poem " Address to a Haggis ", which starts "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!" In Burns's lifetime haggis was a common dish of the poor as it was nourishing yet very cheap, being made from leftover parts of sheep otherwise discarded. Haggis

3920-400: Is widely available in supermarkets in Scotland all year, with cheaper brands normally packed in artificial casings, rather than stomachs. Sometimes haggis is sold in tins or a container which can be cooked in a microwave or conventional oven. Some commercial haggis is largely made from pig, rather than sheep, offal. Kosher haggis, not only pork-free but fully conformant to Jewish dietary laws ,

4018-596: The American Revolution . Burns sent the poem anonymously in 1795 to the Glasgow Magazine . He was also a radical for reform and wrote poems for democracy, such as – "Parcel of Rogues to the Nation" and the "Rights of Women". Many of Burns's most famous poems are songs with the music based upon older traditional songs. For example, " Auld Lang Syne " is set to the traditional tune "Can Ye Labour Lea", " A Red, Red Rose "

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4116-648: The Scottish Kirk of his time, Scottish cultural identity, poverty, sexuality, and the beneficial aspects of popular socialising (carousing, Scotch whisky, folk songs, and so forth). The strong emotional highs and lows associated with many of Burns's poems have led some, such as Burns biographer Robert Crawford, to suggest that he suffered from manic depression —a hypothesis that has been supported by analysis of various samples of his handwriting. Burns himself referred to suffering from episodes of what he called "blue devilism". The National Trust for Scotland has downplayed

4214-565: The University of Edinburgh , although influential friends offered to support his claims. He did however accept membership of the Royal Company of Archers in 1792. After giving up his farm, he removed to Dumfries. It was at this time that, being requested to write lyrics for The Melodies of Scotland , he responded by contributing over 100 songs. He made major contributions to George Thomson 's A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs for

4312-602: The Globe Inn Dumfries. As an Exciseman he felt compelled to join the Royal Dumfries Volunteers in March 1795. Latterly Burns lived in Dumfries in a two-storey red sandstone house on Mill Hole Brae, now Burns Street. The home is now a museum. He went on long journeys on horseback, often in harsh weather conditions as an Excise Supervisor, and was kept very busy doing reports. The father of four young children, he

4410-527: The Haggas or Haggus, of whose goodnesse it is in vaine to boast, because there is hardly to be found a man that doth not affect them." (Gervase Markham, The English Huswife ) Food writer Alan Davidson suggests that the ancient Romans were the first known to have made products of the haggis type. Haggis was "born of necessity, as a way to utilize the least expensive cuts of meat and the innards as well". Clarissa Dickson Wright says that it "came to Scotland in

4508-588: The Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread, Clap in his sturdy fist a blade, He'll make it whistle; And legs and arms, and heads will cut, Like tops of thistle. Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a haggis! You Pow'rs, that make mankind your care, And dish them out their bill of fare, Old Scotland wants no watery ware That slops in bowls: But, if You wish her grateful prayer, Give her

4606-566: The Selkirk Grace. All the guests are then seated and grace is said, usually using the " Selkirk Grace  [ sco ] ", a well-known thanksgiving said before meals that uses the Scots language. Although attributed to Burns, the Selkirk Grace was already known in the 17th century as the " Galloway Grace" or the " Covenanters ' Grace". It came to be called the Selkirk Grace because Burns

4704-647: The United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, owing to the strong influence of Scottish culture, especially for Burns Suppers . It can easily be made in any country but is sometimes imported from Scotland. A recipe from the Canadian province of New Brunswick uses pork and bakes it in a loaf pan. In 1971, it became illegal to import haggis into the US from the UK due to a ban on food containing sheep lung, which constitutes 10–15% of

4802-488: The Voice as well as to James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum . Arguably his claim to immortality chiefly rests on these volumes, which placed him in the front rank of lyric poets . As a songwriter he provided his own lyrics, sometimes adapted from traditional words. He put words to Scottish folk melodies and airs which he collected, and composed his own arrangements of the music including modifying tunes or recreating melodies on

4900-416: The air with the verses I have framed. when I feel my Muse beginning to jade, I retire to the solitary fireside of my study, and there commit my effusions to paper, swinging, at intervals, on the hind-legs of my elbow chair, by way of calling forth my own critical strictures, as my, pen goes. Burns also worked to collect and preserve Scottish folk songs , sometimes revising, expanding, and adapting them. One of

4998-528: The basis of fragments. In letters he explained that he preferred simplicity, relating songs to spoken language which should be sung in traditional ways. The original instruments would be fiddle and the guitar of the period which was akin to a cittern , but the transcription of songs for piano has resulted in them usually being performed in classical concert or music hall styles. At the 3 week Celtic Connections festival Glasgow each January, Burns songs are often performed with both fiddle and guitar. Thomson as

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5096-453: The better known of these collections is The Merry Muses of Caledonia (the title is not Burns's), a collection of bawdy lyrics that were popular in the music halls of Scotland as late as the 20th century. At Dumfries, he wrote his world famous song " A Man's a Man for A' That ", which was based on the writings in The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine , one of the chief political theoreticians of

5194-521: The celebration of Burns Night is an opportunity to raise awareness of the cultural significance of Scots and its status as one of the indigenous languages of Scotland, and further believes in the importance of the writing down of the Scots language to ensure its continuation through written documentation, as well as oral tradition. Burns suppers may be formal or informal. Both typically include haggis (a traditional Scottish dish celebrated by Burns in Address to

5292-509: The city also resulted in some lifelong friendships, among which were those with Lord Glencairn , and Frances Anna Dunlop (1730–1815), who became his occasional sponsor and with whom he corresponded for many years until a rift developed. He embarked on a relationship with the separated Agnes "Nancy" McLehose (1758–1841), with whom he exchanged passionate letters under pseudonyms (Burns called himself "Sylvander" and Nancy "Clarinda"). When it became clear that Nancy would not be easily seduced into

5390-486: The community of Tarbolton. To his father's disapproval, Robert joined a country dancing school in 1779 and, with Gilbert, formed the Tarbolton Bachelors' Club the following year. His earliest existing letters date from this time, when he began making romantic overtures to Alison Begbie (b. 1762). In spite of four songs written for her and a suggestion that he was willing to marry her, she rejected him. Robert Burns

5488-501: The cook on a large dish, generally while a bagpiper leads the way to the host's table, where the haggis is laid down. " A Man's A Man for A' That ", "Robbie Burns Medley" or "The Star O' Robbie Burns" might be played. The host, or perhaps a guest, then recites the Address to a Haggis . Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o'

5586-477: The efforts of John Syme and Alexander Cunningham . Burns was posthumously given the freedom of the town of Dumfries. Hogg records that Burns was given the freedom of the Burgh of Dumfries on 4 June 1787, 9 years before his death, and was also made an Honorary Burgess of Dumfries. Through his five surviving children (of 12 born), Burns has over 900 living descendants as of 2019. Armour died on 26 March 1834 and

5684-653: The founders of both liberalism and socialism , and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature . In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish television channel STV . As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) " Auld Lang Syne "

5782-436: The group included Adam Rankine, James Kerr, James Bogie, Andrew Crombie and their assistants. The night before Armour's funeral, the group was supposedly granted permission to exhume Burns's body by Armour's brother, Robert Armour. The group attempted to enter the mausoleum at 7pm. There were many people present in the graveyard and they decided to try again later that evening. The skull was removed and taken to James Fraser,

5880-413: The guests to give the vote of thanks. Then, everyone is asked to stand, join hands, and sing " Auld Lang Syne " to bring the evening to an end. 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 national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of

5978-456: The house and took the tenancy of the 70-acre (280,000 m ) Mount Oliphant farm, southeast of Alloway. Here Burns grew up in poverty and hardship, and the severe manual labour of the farm left its traces in a weakened constitution. He was given irregular schooling and a lot of his education was with his father, who taught his children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history and also wrote for them A Manual of Christian Belief . He

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6076-411: The lungs and stuffing the stomach with them and whatever fillers might have been on hand, then boiling the assembly – probably in a vessel made from the animal's hide – was one way to make sure these parts were not wasted. In the absence of hard facts as to haggis' origins, popular folklore has provided some notions. One is that the dish originates from the days of the old Scottish cattle drovers . When

6174-474: The main part of a dish. A traditional haggis recipe describes haggis as "sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal's stomach and boiled". Ingredients are sheep stomach, heart and lungs of one lamb, onions, oatmeal, salt, pepper, stock, and water, with optional ingredients dried coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It can be boiled, baked, or deep fried. In

6272-468: The manuscript of " Ae Fond Kiss " as a farewell. In Edinburgh, in early 1787, he met James Johnson , a struggling music engraver and music seller with a love of old Scots songs and a determination to preserve them. Burns shared this interest and became an enthusiastic contributor to The Scots Musical Museum . The first volume was published in 1787 and included three songs by Burns. He contributed 40 songs to volume two, and he ended up responsible for about

6370-480: The meal reaches the coffee stage, various speeches and toasts are given. The main speaker gives a speech remembering some aspect of Burns's life or poetry. It may be either light-hearted or serious, and may include the recitation of a poem or a song by Burns. A toast to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns then follows. This was originally a short speech given by a male guest in thanks to the women who had prepared

6468-548: The meal. However, it is now much more wide-ranging and generally covers the male speaker's view on women. It is normally amusing and not offensive, particularly since it will be followed by a reply from the "lassies" concerned. The men drink a toast to the women's health. This is occasionally (and humorously) called the "Toast to the Laddies". Like the previous toast, it is generally now quite wide-ranging. A female guest will give her views on men and reply to any specific points raised by

6566-447: The meal. The haggis is traditionally served with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed swede turnip (neeps). A dessert course, cheese courses, coffee , etc., may also be part of the meal. The courses normally use traditional Scottish recipes. For instance, dessert may be cranachan or tipsy laird (whisky trifle), followed by oatcakes and cheese , all washed down with the "water of life" ( uisge beatha ), Scotch whisky . When

6664-526: The men left the Highlands to drive their cattle to market in Edinburgh , the women would prepare rations for them to eat during the long journey down through the glens . They used the ingredients that were most readily available in their homes and conveniently packaged them in a sheep's stomach allowing for easy transport during the journey. Other speculations have been based on Scottish slaughtering practices. When

6762-414: The next four years. In mid-1784 Burns came to know a group of girls known collectively as The Belles of Mauchline, one of whom was Jean Armour , the daughter of a stonemason from Mauchline. Burns's first child, Elizabeth "Bess" Burns , was born to his mother's servant, Elizabeth Paton , while he was embarking on a relationship with Jean Armour, who became pregnant with twins in March 1786. Burns signed

6860-594: The north-east of Scotland, from Aberdeen northwards, in addition to the customary neeps and tatties, haggis is commonly served with mince . Vegetarian haggis was first available commercially in 1984, and now can account for between 25% and 40% of haggis sales. It substitutes various pulses , nuts and vegetables for the meat. Oats and barley may be included as may different types of lentils , split peas , adzuki beans , kidney beans , borlotti beans , peanuts , other nuts and mushrooms , onions , and carrots . Haggis remains popular with Scottish immigrants in

6958-481: The original cast. Burns's style is marked by spontaneity, directness, and sincerity, and ranges from the tender intensity of some of his lyrics through the humour of "Tam o' Shanter" and the satire of "Holy Willie's Prayer" and "The Holy Fair". Burns's poetry drew upon a substantial familiarity with and knowledge of Classical , Biblical , and English literature , as well as the Scottish Makar tradition. Burns

7056-514: The plantations (Burns himself described the position as being "a poor Negro driver"). The position, which was for a single man, would entail Burns living on a plantation in rustic conditions, as it was unlikely a book keeper would be housed in the plantation's great house . Some historians have argued in Burns's defence that in 1786, the Scottish abolitionist movement was just beginning to be broadly active. Burns's authorship of " The Slave's Lament ",

7154-455: The poets who have written in the Scots language , although much of his writing is in a "light Scots dialect " of English, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement , and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to

7252-406: The previous speaker. Like the previous speech, it should be amusing but not offensive. Quite often, the speakers giving this toast and the previous one will collaborate so that the two toasts complement each other. After the speeches there may be singing of songs by Burns (such as " Ae Fond Kiss ", " Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation ", and "A Man's A Man for A' That") and more poetry (such as " To

7350-405: The river Nith, now holds a unique collection of Burns's books, artefacts, and manuscripts and is mostly preserved as when Burns and his young family lived there. Burns gave up the farm in 1791 to move to Dumfries. About this time he was offered and declined an appointment in London on the staff of The Star newspaper , and refused to become a candidate for a newly created Chair of Agriculture in

7448-545: The same day that Jean Armour's father tore up the paper in which Burns attested his marriage to Jean. To obtain a certificate that he was a free bachelor, Burns agreed on 25 June to stand for rebuke in the Mauchline kirk for three Sundays. He transferred his share in Mossgiel farm to his brother Gilbert on 22 July, and on 30 July wrote to tell his friend John Richmond that, "Armour has got a warrant to throw me in jail until I can find

7546-781: The slave trade system". Around the same time, Burns fell in love with a woman named Mary Campbell , whom he had seen in church while he was still living in Tarbolton. She was born near Dunoon and had lived in Campbeltown before moving to work in Ayrshire. He dedicated the poems "The Highland Lassie O", "Highland Mary", and "To Mary in Heaven" to her. His song "Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary, And leave auld Scotia's shore?" suggests that they planned to emigrate to Jamaica together. Their relationship has been

7644-699: The subject of much conjecture, and it has been suggested that on 14 May 1786 they exchanged Bibles and plighted their troth over the Water of Fail in a traditional form of marriage. Soon afterwards Mary Campbell left her work in Ayrshire, went to the seaport of Greenock , and sailed home to her parents in Campbeltown. In October 1786, Mary and her father sailed from Campbeltown to visit her brother in Greenock. Her brother fell ill with typhus , which she also caught while nursing him. She died of typhus on 20 or 21 October 1786 and

7742-481: The suggestion on the grounds that evidence is insufficient to support the claim. Burns is generally classified as a proto- Romantic poet , and he influenced William Wordsworth , Samuel Taylor Coleridge , and Percy Bysshe Shelley greatly. His direct literary influences in the use of Scots in poetry were Allan Ramsay and Robert Fergusson . The Edinburgh literati worked to sentimentalise Burns during his life and after his death, dismissing his education by calling him

7840-432: The traditional recipe. The ban encompasses all lungs, as fluids such as stomach acid and phlegm may enter the lung during slaughter. The situation was further complicated in 1989 when all UK beef and lamb was banned from importation to the US due to a BSE crisis. The ban on importing British lamb to the US was lifted in 2022 but the ban on food containing sheep lung remained in force. As haggis cannot be exported to

7938-448: The tune before he composed the words: My way is: I consider the poetic sentiment, correspondent to my idea of the musical expression, then chuse my theme, begin one stanza, when that is composed—which is generally the most difficult part of the business—I walk out, sit down now and then, look out for objects in nature around me that are in unison or harmony with the cogitations of my fancy and workings of my bosom, humming every now and then

8036-541: The year. Burns suppers are held all around the world. The first supper was held in memoriam at Burns Cottage in Ayrshire by Burns's friends, on 21 July 1801, the fifth anniversary of his death; it has been a regular occurrence ever since. The first still extant Burns Club was founded in Greenock in 1801 by merchants who were born in Ayrshire, some of whom had known Burns. They held the first Burns supper on what they thought

8134-554: Was initiated into the Masonic lodge St David, Tarbolton, on 4 July 1781, when he was 22. In December 1781, Burns moved temporarily to Irvine to learn to become a flax -dresser, but during the workers' celebrations for New Year 1781/1782 (which included Burns as a participant) the flax shop caught fire and was burnt to the ground. This venture accordingly came to an end, and Burns went home to Lochlea farm. During this time he met and befriended Richard Brown , who encouraged him to become

8232-473: Was 21, and a bacterial infection, possibly arising from a tooth abscess, may have exacerbated this. On the morning of 21 July 1796, Burns died in Dumfries, at the age of 37. The funeral took place on Monday 25 July 1796, the day that his son Maxwell was born. He was at first buried in the far corner of St. Michael's Churchyard in Dumfries; a simple "slab of freestone" was erected as his gravestone by Jean Armour, which some felt insulting to his memory. His body

8330-432: Was also frequently occupied as a song collector and songwriter . As his health began to give way, he aged prematurely and fell into fits of despondency. Rumours of intemperance (alleged mainly by temperance activist James Currie ) may have been overstated. Hard manual farm labour earlier in his life may have damaged Burns's health. Burns possibly had a long-standing rheumatic heart condition, perhaps beginning when he

8428-494: Was also taught and tutored by the young teacher John Murdoch (1747–1824), who opened an " adventure school " in Alloway in 1763 and taught Latin, French, and mathematics to both Robert and his brother Gilbert (1760–1827) from 1765 to 1768 until Murdoch left the parish. After a few years of home education, Burns was sent to Dalrymple Parish School in mid-1772 before returning at harvest time to full-time farm labouring until 1773, when he

8526-470: Was appointed to duties in Customs and Excise in 1789. Burns chose the land of Ellisland a few miles north of the town of Dumfries , from Patrick Miller's estate at Dalswinton, where he had a new farmhouse and byre built. He and Jean moved in the following summer 1789 to the new farm house at Ellisland. In November 1790, he had written his masterpiece, the narrative poem " Tam O' Shanter ". The Ellisland farm beside

8624-593: Was born two miles (3 km) south of Ayr , in Alloway , the eldest of the seven children of William Burnes (1721–1784), a self-educated tenant farmer from Dunnottar in the Mearns , and Agnes Broun (1732–1820), the daughter of a Kirkoswald tenant farmer. He was born in a house built by his father (now the Burns Cottage Museum), where he lived until Easter 1766, when he was seven years old. William Burnes sold

8722-486: Was buried there . As Burns lacked the funds to pay for his passage to Jamaica, Gavin Hamilton suggested that he should "publish his poems in the meantime by subscription, as a likely way of getting a little money to provide him more liberally in necessaries for Jamaica." On 3 April Burns sent proposals for publishing his Scotch Poems to John Wilson, a printer in Kilmarnock , who published these proposals on 14 April 1786, on

8820-409: Was consistently unfortunate, and migrated with his large family from farm to farm without ever being able to improve his circumstances. At Whitsun , 1777, he removed his large family from the unfavourable conditions of Mount Oliphant to the 130-acre (0.53 km ) farm at Lochlea , near Tarbolton , where they stayed until William Burnes's death in 1784. Subsequently, the family became integrated into

8918-440: Was engraved to provide a frontispiece for the book. Nasmyth had come to know Burns and his fresh and appealing image has become the basis for almost all subsequent representations of the poet. In Edinburgh, he was received as an equal by the city's men of letters—including Dugald Stewart, Robertson, Blair and others—and was a guest at aristocratic gatherings, where he bore himself with unaffected dignity. Here he encountered, and made

9016-611: Was eventually moved to its final location in the same cemetery, the Burns Mausoleum, in September 1817. The body of his widow Jean Armour was buried with his in 1834. Armour had taken steps to secure his personal property, partly by liquidating two promissory notes amounting to fifteen pounds sterling (about 1,100 pounds at 2009 prices). The family went to the Court of Session in 1798 with a plan to support his surviving children by publishing

9114-465: Was his birthday, 29 January 1802, but in 1803, they discovered the Ayr parish records that noted his date of birth was actually 25 January 1759. Since then, suppers have been held on or about 25 January. The Scottish Parliament considers the celebration of Burns Night each year to be a key cultural heritage event. The Parliament welcomes the annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, which

9212-431: Was interred into the Burns Mausoleum on 31 March 1834. The opening of the mausoleum provided an opportunity to exhume Burns body by a local group who believed in phrenology , a pseudo-science whose practitioners believed an individual's personality could be predicted by measuring the skulls. The group was led by Archibald Blacklock, a surgeon, and John McDiarmid, Dumfries Courier editor and phrenologist. Other members of

9310-468: Was more massive than it looks in any of the portraits ... there was a strong expression of shrewdness in all his lineaments; the eye alone, I think, indicated the poetical character and temperament. It was large, and of a dark cast, and literally glowed when he spoke with feeling or interest. [I never saw such another eye in a human head, though I have seen the most distinguished men of my time.] The new edition of his poems brought Burns £400. His stay in

9408-400: Was said to have delivered it at a dinner given by the 4th Earl of Selkirk . The supper starts with the soup course. Normally a Scottish soup, such as Scotch broth , potato soup, cullen skink , or cock-a-leekie , is served. Everyone stands as the haggis is brought in. Haggis is a meat dish but in recent decades, a vegetarian alternative is often available. It is usually brought in by

9506-554: Was sent to lodge with Murdoch for three weeks to study grammar, French, and Latin. By the age of 15, Burns was the principal labourer at Mount Oliphant. During the harvest of 1774, he was assisted by Nelly Kilpatrick (1759–1820), who inspired his first attempt at poetry, " O, Once I Lov'd A Bonnie Lass ". In 1775, he was sent to finish his education with a tutor at Kirkoswald, where he met Peggy Thompson (born 1762), to whom he wrote two songs, "Now Westlin' Winds" and " I Dream’d I Lay ". Despite his ability and character, William Burnes

9604-684: Was skilled in writing not only in the Scots language but also in the Scottish English dialect of the English language. Some of his works, such as "Love and Liberty" (also known as "The Jolly Beggars"), are written in both Scots and English for various effects. His themes included republicanism (he lived during the French Revolutionary period ) and Radicalism , which he expressed covertly in " Scots Wha Hae ", Scottish patriotism , anticlericalism , class inequalities, gender roles, commentary on

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