1  

William Burnes

Schooldays

At Work on the Farm

Early Studies

First Attempts at Verse

2

Attends a Dancing-School

Youthful Characteristics

Learns Surveying

John Barleycorn

At Irvine

As a Flax-Dresser

Becomes a Freemason

Meets Fergusson

Lochlea, June, 1783

Death of his Father

3

Mossgiel, 1784-5

Gavin Hamilton

Case of Dr.MacGill, etc.

Hollie Willie's Prayer

Epistle to Davie, etc.

Death and Doctor Hornbook, etc.

The Holy Fair, etc.

Haloween, etc.

"Bonny Jean"

4

Kilmarnock 1786

Appreciation of his poems

Mrs. Dunlop

Writes to Aiken 1786

Dr. Laurie

Dr. Blacklock

5

Edinburgh, December, 1786

Henry Mackenzie, December, 1786

Edinburgh, 1787

Sir Walter Scott, 1787

Edinburgh, 1787

Second Edition of his Poems

6

May, 1787

May, June, 1787

Autumn, 1787

Ochtertyre, 1787

Autumn, 1787

Gordon Castle, 1787

Arrives in Edinburgh

Johnson's Museum

Edinburgh - January, 1788

February, 1788

7

Elliesland, 1788

Elliesland - Bonny Jean

Elliesland, 1788

Elliesland, 1789

The Excise, 1789

Tam O'Shanter, 1790

Elliesland, 1791

8

Dumfries, 1792

Dumfries - Politics

Politics, 1792, 1793

1792

Excise Board, 1793

Politics, 1793

The Five Carlines

Dumfries - Rev. James Gray

Mr Peterkin

Syme and Peterkin

Dumfries - Gray

Dumfries - Songs

Cowper's Task

9

Dumfries, 1793

Dumfries, 1794

Letter to Mr. MacMurdo

Dumfries - Thomson

1794 - 1795

Dumfries, 1795

June - July, 1796

Brow, July, 1796

July, 1796

Funeral, July 26th, 1796

Monument at Dumfries

Gilbert Burns

Poverty and Honour

Personal Traits

Character Realism

His Influence

His Patriotism

As Reformer

Possibilities

Dramatic Gift