View from Ellisland from Front

Robert Burns and Jean Armour lived at the farm at Ellisland from 1788 until 1791 when they moved to Dumfries. It was at Ellisland that Burns wrote Tam O' Shanter. This is 1 of 12 etchings by George Houston which form a series entitled Burns Country. The series depicts different sites around Ayrshire with which Burns was associated at various stages in his life. The series was published in May 1915 and was accompanied by text written by Houston's friend Neil Munro.   Munro wrote the following text to accompany this print:   “The site was pleasant,” says Christopher North, “on the edge of a high bank of the Nith, commanding a wide and beautiful prospect – holms, plains, woods, and hills, and a long reach of the sweeping river.” To Jean Armour, during the happy weeks which followed her joining him there, he wrote: O, were I on Parnassus hill, Or had of Helicon my fill, That I might catch poetic skill To sing how dear I love thee! But Nith maun be my muse’s well, My muse maun be thy bonny sell, On Corsincon I’ll glower and spell, And write how dear I love thee.
Object no :
NAFA023n
Collection :
Creator :
George Houston
Place of Production :
NA
Dimensions :
246 x173mm
Materials :
etching
Location :
NA
Accession number :
IRVGV1998:46
Copyright :
The Artist
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