The contents of an unpublished letter written by Robert Burns have been revealed for the first time as the nation celebrates his birthday.
The document, which has lain hidden since 1794 and was only discovered by chance by children taking part in a Heritage Lottery project in Aberdeenshire aimed at introducing youngsters to the bard’s works.
They were delving through a private archive, which they were given access to as part of the initiative, when they stumbled upon the letter and unveiled a hitherto unknown friendship between the bard and Elizabeth Kemble, a member of the Kemble acting dynasty who owned theatres across the UK.
Both were supporters of seeing slavery abolished, with the accomplished actress even starring in anti-slavery play Inkle and Yarico.
As well as revealing the connection between Burns and Kemble, the letter also alludes to a secret he shared with her and contains a manuscript.
It states: “And as being in the secret is an enviable business even where the secret is of no importance, I venture to send you a manuscript of mine which has very little other value than its being a private thing.
“All I have to ask of you is, lay the book under lock and key when you go out, as you will easily believe that I do not wish to expose such a thing to the random perusal of chance.”
The manuscript was a collection of letters Burns had collected about Robert Riddell of Glenriddell, a landowner who shared the same sympathies as the poet.
The document will now be published in the Enlightened Burns book which has been produced as part of the project.