John Syme (1755 – 24 November 1831) was a Scottish lawyer and one of the poet Robert Burns's closest friends during his time in Dumfries.

[1] Syme and Alexander Cunningham were amongst the most active of the friends and admirers of Burns's works who raised funds for the poet's family and for his mausoleum with the assistance of others such as James Currie.

[2] From 1791 he worked in Dumfries in an office in the Wee or Stinking Vennel, now 11 Bank Street, directly below the first house that Robert Burns and his family occupied after moving from Ellisland Farm.

Syme died on the 24 November 1831 aged 76[4] and was buried beside his wife in the Troqueer Kirkyard[1] having lived 35 years longer than his friend Robert Burns.

[7] In addition he acted at times as a surveyor for Currie; the two men served on the committee of the Dumfries and Galloway Horticultural Society and they often went on hunting expeditions together.

[10] In the History of Dumfries, William McDowall wrote in 1867 that "Mr Syme is still well remembered in the town as a fine specimen of the old Scottish gentleman, clear-headed, warm-hearted, well-cultivated, courteous, full of anecdote and wit and, as the fashion then went, devoted to the pleasures of the table, which he never relished so much as when Burns was his cronie.

"[11] Syme got to know Burns whilst the poet was living at Ellisland Farm and came into Dumfries once a week to collector his mail from the Post Office.

In September 1790 he was invited to breakfast at Ellisland and met Jean Armour, however he was not very taken by her, observing "Methinks he has exhibited his poetical genius when he celebrated her.

Syme had a copy of the Della Cruscan British Album and Burns wrote the following lines within it:[13] "PERISH their names, however great or brave, Who in the DESPOT's cursed errands bleed!

It was Syme who delivered the 'Highland pebble' and in his letter to George Thomson Burns reminds him that the holly is to be show as a bush and not a tree.

[18] and in January 1793 Syme suggested at Ryedale during a convivial evening's drinking, that Burns should further tone down his political stance and instead turn his talents to less controversial topics.

This advice infuriated Burns and as Syme tells it, with his eyes flaming red like coals he made to draw his Excise sword on his friend, but when his reckless actions dawned on him he sank to his knees in apologetic remorse.

[19] On 27 July 1793[5] Syme accompanied Burns on his first tour of Galloway and on the first day they had supper with the laird John Gordon and his family at Kenmure Castle, followed by a sail on Loch Ken.

The former, being too feeble to jump, as we had done, to land, expressed a desire to remain in the vessel till Mr Gordon and I returned; upon hearing which, the generous bard instantly slipt into the water, which was, however, so deep as to wet him to the knees.

After a short entreaty, he succeeded in getting the clergyman on his shoulders; on observing which, Mr Syme raised his hands, laughed immoderately and exclaimed: 'Well Burns, of all the men on earth, you are the last that I could have expected to see priest-ridden!'

But I entertain strong hopes that the vigor of his former stamina will conquer his present illness, and that, by care and the attention and advice he receives from Dr Maxwell, he will recover.

"[29] Syme left some revealing, if emotional, reminiscences of Burns such as: "The poet's expression varied perpetually, according to the idea that predominated in his mind: and it was beautiful to mark how well the play of his lips indicated the sentiment he was about to utter.

His eyes and lips, the first remarkable for fire, and the second for flexibility, formed at all times as index to the mind, and as sunshine or shade predominated, you might have told, a priori, whether the company was to be favoured with a scintillation of wit, or a sentiment of benevolent, or a burst of fiery indignation.

Throughout the manuscripts are to be found comments and / or alterations, some by Robert Burns himself, the others by John Syme, James Currie, W. Scott Douglas and a 'W.R.'.

[35] Syme, William Grierson,[36] Alexander Cunningham and James Currie, through his biography, were central in raising the funds needed to build a suitable mausoleum[1] to which Burns's body was moved in September 1815.

[38] Syme received a letter from Alexander Cunningham expressing his sorrow and grave disappointment at the number of Burns's supposed friends and admirers who would not donate to the fund and instead gave him "cold civility and humiliating advice.