Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Robert Burns travel to Edinburgh in 1786?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Robert Burns
Robert Burns, engraving from A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen, 1870.
Robert Burns traveled to Edinburgh on November 27, 1786, following the immediate and overwhelming success of his poetry collection, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, which had been published earlier that year in Kilmarnock.1
Prior to this journey, Burns had been facing significant personal and financial hardships, including a failing farm and complications regarding his relationship with Jean Armour. He had even considered emigrating to escape these troubles. However, after the publication of his work brought him acclaim from both common readers and sophisticated critics, he went to Edinburgh where he was subsequently lionized and patronized by the city's literary circles.1