| Robert Burns remains Scotland's pre-eminent poet and, | | | | birthday: January 25, 1759. |
| on January 25, millions of people around the world will | | | | Burns Night itself, and the Burns Supper, includes |
| celebrate Burns Night to mark the anniversary of his | | | | various established traditions. |
| birth. | | | | These included the eating of haggis - originally Burns' |
| Burns Night has been celebrated for over two | | | | friends' tribute to his famous Ode to Haggis - along |
| centuries. But why, you may ask, has the history of | | | | with neeps and tatties, to compliment the haggis' |
| Burns Night endured so widely, and for so long? | | | | spiciness. |
| One answer is, of course, his writing. | | | | Traditionally, the Burns Supper is held with everyone |
| John Steinbeck took the title of his 1937 novel, Of Mice | | | | sat around a table. After a few words welcoming |
| and Men, from a Burns Poem. | | | | everyone are spoken, grace is usually said - normally, |
| And folk legend Bob Dylan highlighted Burns' 1794 song, | | | | the Selkirk Grace. |
| A Red Red Rose, as the lyric that had the biggest | | | | "Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat |
| effect on his life. | | | | that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae |
| Even in Russia, Burns was elected the 'people's poet' | | | | let the Lord be thankit...." - from the Selkirk Grace |
| and a 1924 translation of his works sold over 600,000 | | | | The Selkirk Grace, so-called because Burns was said |
| copies. His poetry continues to be taught in Russian | | | | to have delivered it at a dinner given by the Earl of |
| schools. | | | | Selkirk, precedes a soup course. |
| For another answer, look no further than New Year's | | | | Later, when the tables are cleared after the meal, the |
| Eve. | | | | host proposes The Loyal Toast, often honouring the |
| "And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang | | | | Head of State (for example, The Queen in the UK). |
| syne..." - from Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns | | | | Then comes the Immortal Memory, a short, lively |
| Burns is most commonly known as the author of Auld | | | | speech about Robert Burns himself. Featuring tributes |
| Lange Syne, the song used to greet the New Year by | | | | to Burns' life and works, it ends with a toast to his |
| English speakers across the globe. | | | | immortal memory. |
| The song is a true anthem, containing a universal truth: | | | | Aside from the enduring popularity of Burns night, |
| the past is forever gone, but should never be | | | | various memorabilia recent sales, both at auction and |
| forgotten. | | | | on the private market, have demonstrated that Burns' |
| Auld Lang Syne's underlying theme, of making the | | | | legacy is also immortal. |
| harsh realities of life more palatable through the | | | | Last year, having been unseen in public since 1896, one |
| company of good friends and good drink, is | | | | of the most important pieces of Burns memorabilia |
| quintessentially Scottish. | | | | appeared on the private market. |
| And it would have been this theme that a select group | | | | The famous Burns' Bible, clutched by the poet at Brow |
| of Burns' friends had in mind when they celebrated the | | | | Well as his main comfort during his final days, was |
| very first Burns Supper in 1801, five years after his | | | | recently sold by Paul Fraser Collectibles for |
| death. | | | | £25,000 ($41,250). |
| Celebrating their friend's passing in such as way was | | | | And, earlier in 2009, a retired professor became the |
| noble and poignant, particularly when considering his | | | | new patron of Burns' best known creation: the origional |
| tragic and awful demise. | | | | Auld Lang Syne manuscript itself. |
| "An illness which has long hung about me... will speedily | | | | The manuscript "sold" at auction for £10,000 to |
| send me beyond that bourne whence no traveller | | | | Professor David Purdie. Purdie will remain Auld Lang |
| returns... Farewell!!" - a letter written by Burns in his final | | | | Syne's custodian while it is held in the Robert Burns |
| days | | | | Birthplace Museum in Ayrshire, Scotland. |
| Burns' death is understood to have been caused by a | | | | Elsewhere in the collectors' markets, the renowned |
| chronic heart complaint. | | | | Macallan distillery released a new whisky marking the |
| Unfortunately, his end was worsened by 19th century | | | | 250th anniversary of Burns' birth. |
| misdiagnosis. | | | | Limited to just 250 bottles - from two casks chosen |
| Mistaking his condition for gout, Burns' person physician | | | | by The Macallan's whisky maker Bob Dalgarno, one |
| advised his patient to travel to Brow Well, a mineral | | | | from 1997 and one from 1998 - each was numbered |
| spring near Dumfries in Scotland. | | | | 1759, the date of Burns' birth. |
| There, the treatments - including drinking and bathing in | | | | The whisky is rare: a sherry oak expression with an |
| the foul-tasting cold spring waters - only worsened | | | | ABV of 46%, according to Whisky Intelligence. It is sold |
| Burns' condition. | | | | in a specially-designed decanter. |
| As his health deteriorated, he began to age | | | | In England, Burns has been honoured on postage |
| prematurely and would fall into fits of despondency, | | | | stamps three times, and is now portrayed on the |
| with only his battered Bible for comfort. | | | | reverse side of the £5 coin. |
| Four days after leaving Brow Well, Burns died aged | | | | While, in his homeland of Scotland, he is pictured on the |
| just 37. | | | | £5 note of the Clydesdale Bank. |
| "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the | | | | And, in addition to these memorabilia, there remains |
| puddin-race!" - a line from Burns' Ode to Haggis | | | | Burns Night: still celebrated each year by native |
| In its early years, Burns Night was held on the date of | | | | Scotsmen and expats all over the world. |
| the poet's death: July 21, 1796. | | | | For as long as Burns' literary legacy and his message - |
| However, as Robert Burns became a recognised | | | | to remember our common humanity - live on, the |
| Scottish institution, and Burns Night evolved into a | | | | celebrations of his life and works will continue. |
| nation's pastime, the celebration was moved to his | | | | |