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Description: | A two page letter which Burns writes to Robert Graham to ask for his patronage in his application to become an exciseman. Graham, whom Burns had met the year before at Blair Atholl, had recently been appointed an Excise Commissioner, and the support of a man of influence was needed to be successful. (letter no 172)
Burns reflects in this letter on his inability to have become a successful farmer and that his decision to look for another career is also explained by the miserable existence of his own father's experience.
Burns opens the first page by reminding Robert Graham that they last met at Blair Atholl and then uses a quote from Shakespeare to position his request for Graham's Patronage. He explains that he has progressed to the first step with his application to the Commissioners and that if he is successful he will need a friend to advise as well as support him. | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 | Publisher: | Burns Monument Trust | Temporal: | 1788-01-01 - 1788-12-31 | Source: | Burns Scotland | Identifier: | Letter of Robert Burns to Robert Graham | Go to resource |
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