Fragement of an autograph letter signed from Frances Anna Wallace Dunlop to Robert Burns, dating to 22 January 1789
Detailed Summary:
Dunlop begins by discussing the snow storm which had prevented Burns from coming to see her, before imploring him not to edit ‘the New Year’s Day piece’ that he had written for her because addresses to friends should be spontaneous and uncorrected. She adds that her time will be occupied by sewing shirts for her son, so she will not write to him for a while, before stating that she had hoped to get Burns a copy of Voltaire’s La Pucelle d’Orleans but had heard such terrible reports of its character that she feared it should neither pass through her own or his hands. She concludes by noting that she met his favourit, James Adair.
Owned by Sire John Wallace, from whom it passed by descent to Sir William Thomas Francis Agnew Wallace who subsequently bequeathed it to his brother Colonel F.J. Wallace. Later owned by Robert Borthwick Adam before 1898.
Origin (transcript):
Origin:
Provenance:
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan before 1913, possibly from J. Pearson & Co. in London.