4. Robert Burns was born on January,25,1759, in a small clay cottage
at Alloway in Ayrshire, Scotland.
5. Robert was a capable boy, and with the help of his new teacher,
learned French and Latin and became fond of reading. His favorite
authors were William Shakespeare, Laurence Sterne and Robert
Fergusson.
6. Though Burns despised those who worshipped money, he became well
aware of the fact that poverty could ruin his whole life: he had fallen in
love with Jean Armour, but her father did not want Robert to marry her as
he was poor.
There was no way
for a poor peasant
in Scotland, so
Burns decided to
sail to Jamaica,
in the hope of
obtaining a job on
some sugar
plantation. To raise
the passage money,
Robert published
some of his poems
in 1786.
7. Burns was a remarkable lyric poet.
His masterful touch upon the human heart-strings is the most
characteristic feature of his talent
8. In his lyrical poems Robert Burns glorifies true love and
friendship, free from any motives of gain and hypocritical
morality. In all his works he remains the bard of freedom.
People sing the song “Auld Lang Syne”
on the last day of the year.
