[1] In 1770 he took over and managed the family estate in the old county of Forfarshire until in 1780 he was forced to sell the property because of financial difficulties, although a condition of the sale was that he retained his title.

[1] On 12 April 1773 he married Margaret Elizabeth Mylne of Mylnfield,[3] his second cousin, and the couple went on have no fewer than ten daughters and four sons.

[7] He wrote a series of letters to Robert Dundas about radical activists in the Dundee area where he ran a group of paid informers.

"[3] Burns lost James Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn, as his principal patron due to his untimely passing in 1790 and then saw Graham as his main remaining supporter who wielded significant influence.

[15] Patrick Heron of the Kirroughtree Estate near Newton Stewart was the personage who he hoped would assist him in his quest for promotion to Supervisor.

[14] Graham in 1796 was unable to grant Burns's request to be placed back on full pay during his final illness and instead sent him a private donation of £5.

"[2] On 10 September 1788 Burns wrote the following epistle "To Robert Graham of Fintry, Esq., with a request for an Excise Division":[3] "Why shrinks my soul, half-blushing, half-afraid, Backward abash'd to ask thy friendly aid?

This epistle accompanied a letter to Graham telling him that his home, Ellisland Farm "does by no means promise to be such a Pennyworth as I was taught to expect".

It would suit me to enter on it, beginning of next Summer..."[20] Smith was moved, however Burns's machinations have been seen to portray the poet in the poor light of self-interest, however his experience of his father's trials and tribulations regarding farm leases and legal disputes would have preyed upon his mind.

[21] Burns was able to obtain the Excise area in which he lived against normal practice which was aimed at preventing local friendships developing.

[22] One of the reasons for obtaining an Excise post was that the "roving life of a gauger would facilitate the collection of material for a Scottish drama he had then in contemplation.

my ardent spirit burns, And all the tribute of my heart returns, For boons accorded, goodness ever new, The Gift still dearer, as the Giver You.

"[24] Another comment shed light on his working practices; "I recorded every defaulter; but at the court, I myself begged off every poor body that was unable to pay, which seeming candour gave me so much implicit credit with the Hon.

Bench that with high Compliments they gave me such ample vengeance on the rest that my Decreet is double the amount of any Division in the District.

[26] In December 1792 Burns became embroiled in accusations of disloyalty to the Crown following an incident at Dumfries's Theatre Royal and he wrote to Graham and appealed for help, writing on the last day of that year: "I believe, Sir, I may aver it, and in the sight of Omnipotence, that I would not tell a deliberate Falsehood... and I say, that the allegation, whatever villain has made it, is a LIE!

In 1794 Burns wrote the last surviving letter to Graham, again urging promotion, and it finishes: "Should the Chapter of Chances and Changes, which God forbid!