Burn's Family Bible

Southland Times, Issue 19499, 31 December 1904, Page 6 (Supplement)

Burn's Family Bible

A . cable message a few days ago stated that Burns's family Hible had been sold lor 4,15(50 at auction at Sotheby's rooms, in Juondon, on December 10. There is already in the Burns collection the Bible once owned i>y tlio poet's father, containing the entry of Robert's birth. The present Bible wos Burns's own. In his handwriting were entries respecting himself, Jean Armour (his wife), and his children. The Bible was published in 1766 by «»otm tteid, oi Edinburgh. The entries are ;— " Robt. . Bums was born at Aloway, i»» the Parish of Ayr— Janry, 25th, 1T 59.

" Jean Armour, his Wife, was born ial Mauchline. Febry. 27-, 1767. " Septr. 3d, i<B6, were bom to theni twins, Kobert, their eldest Sun, at a quarter past Noon, and Jean, since dead at fourteen months old..— March 3, l.'iiit, were born to them twins again, two daughters, who died within a lew days aiter their birth.— August 18th, 17»y, waa bom to them Francis, Wallace, so named after Airs Dunlop, of Dunlop ; he was born at a quarter bofore rfevcu forenoon.— April Uth, UM, between three and four in the morning, was born to them William, Nicol, so named after Willm. Nicol, of the High School, Kdinr. —November 21st. 1792, at a quarter-past Noon was born to them Elizabeth Kiadel, so named after Mrs Hobt. i&iddul, of Glenriddel." Then iollows (in the handwriting oi James Glencairn Burns), " James Glencairn, born 12th Aug., 1794, named alter the Earl of Glencairn," and "Maliwell, Bom sGth July, 17S>G, the day of his Father's funeral— so named after Ur Maxwell, the Physician, who attended the i»oet in his last illness. Inserted by W. N. Burns, 9th Apri„ 1897 " (in the imnawriting of tne iut ter). The -pedigree of the Bible is as follows:—!. Willed by Jean (Armour) Burns to her eldest son, Kobert. 2. A signed receipt (in existence) of Robert Burns on receiving the boofe. '1. In possession of William Nicoi Burns (the poet's second surviving son). 1. William gave the Bible to Sarah Ip- AI. /i '. Hutchinson, tis neice ( who lived with Mm). She was the owner of it at the timo of the sale just recorded.