Robert Burns (1759-1796) was a Scottish poet, philanderer and adulterer who fathered a total of twelve children by four women of which seven were illegitimate, including the first four by Jean Armour before they were married in 1788. Burns' poetry in both English and rough guttural Scots dialect often included pieces of a bawdy obscene[1] nature promoting promiscuity and drunkenness. He also often attacked and mocked churchgoers and religion in his poetry. His promiscuity and drinking was condemned by the elders of the local kirk (Church) and he was not held in high regard by his neighbours.
Burns was initially home-schooled by his father, who taught his children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history, and also wrote for them A Manual Of Christian Belief. Later he was taught Latin, French and mathematics by John Murdoch at his 'adventure school' in Alloway. After that Burns was once again home-schooled but later attended Dalrymple Parish (public) School.
It was only after attending public school that Burns developed a passion for bawdy obscene poetry, his first volume, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect being published in April 1786, also known as the Kilmarnock volume. It included his poem Address to the Deil[2] (Deil mean devil). The poem addresses the Devil mocking the pulpit oratory of the Presbyterian Church.
- "O thou! Whatever title suit thee,
- Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick or Clootie"
In 1787 he was invited to Edinburgh by supporters the humanist and rationalist enlightenment that was capturing the imagination of liberal Europeans. Burns' reputation for philandery, drunkenness an moral relativism preceded him and he was received as an equal by the city's liberals who considered him an excellent guest at their gatherings.
In keeping with Scotland's moral decline Burns became Scotland's national poet and A major cultural icon. He is also regarded by some as a pioneer of Romanticism.
His birthday, the 25th of January, is celebrated in Scotland and far beyond as Burns Night. These celebrations involve the recitation of his poetry, the eating of haggis, a toast to the lasses and the imbibing of much Scotch whisky.
He is most famous for his compositions "Auld Lang Syne"[3], "Corn Rigs Are Bonnie "[4], "Green Grow The Rashes, O "[5], "Holy Willlie's Prayer" [6] , "O, Guid Ale Comes " [7], "Scotch Drink" [8], "The Holy Fair" [9], "Yestreen I Had A Pint O' Wine" [10] and "Scots Wha Hae"[11] about Robert the Bruce and the Battle of Bannockburn.