Rabbie Burns

[Biggles]

Originally posted by 4th gen+25 January 2004 - 22:53--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (4th gen @ 25 January 2004 - 22:53)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-bigboab@25 January 2004 - 21:52
Rabbie was not always the lovable rogue. He was treated as an oucast for a while because of his sympathy for the French Revolution.

and wasn&#39;t he a whoremaster? [/b][/quote]
Bigboab

True although it was the ideals of liberty etc., that attracted Rabbie. I recall seeing a Conservative MP and Rabbie fab trying to explain how Rabbie was a Conservative really. It was...well, interesting.

4th - what is a whoremaster?

Rabbie was a serial womaniser who sired a number of children out of wedlock (this was not unusual in the more prosperous rural parts of Scotland nor much a stigma for the women - much to the chagrin of those who would impose their view of morality and who complained at length about the Pagan traditions of these areas)

Rabbie was a great romantic and most if not all of these woman are immortalised in verse.

[bigboab]

Originally posted by Biggles@25 January 2004 - 23:02
True although it was the ideals of liberty etc., that attracted Rabbie. I recall seeing a Conservative MP and Rabbie fab trying to explain how Rabbie was a Conservative really. It was...well, interesting.

Did they explain why Rabbie was shunned for a long while in Dumfriess because of his views.

[Biggles]

Originally posted by bigboab+25 January 2004 - 23:07--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (bigboab @ 25 January 2004 - 23:07)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Biggles@25 January 2004 - 23:02
True although it was the ideals of liberty etc., that attracted Rabbie. I recall seeing a Conservative MP and Rabbie fab trying to explain how Rabbie was a Conservative really. It was...well, interesting.

Did they explain why Rabbie was shunned for a long while in Dumfriess because of his views. [/b][/quote]

Clerical error I think.

In practice, the success of his verse made his political position irrelevant. He was re-habilitated fairly quickly and even got to be a Custom and Excise Tax collector for a while, as I recall. The descent of the French revolution into a blood bath also scunnered him of politicians somewhat.