Frances Anne Wallace Dunlop (16 April 1730 – 24 May 1815) was a Scottish heiress, landowner, and correspondent and friend of poet

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

Life

Frances was born on 16 April 1730. She descended from a brother of

William Wallace Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army ...

, the Scottish patriot, and was the last surviving daughter of Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie, by his wife Eleonora, daughter of Colonel Agnew of Lochryan. Her only brother died before her father, and on her father's death in 1760 she inherited the property. Previous to this, in 1747 at the age of seventeen, she had become the wife of Mr John Dunlop of Dunlop. She was the patron of Janet Little who published The Poetical Works of Janet Little, The Scotch Milkmaid.

Relationship with Burns

She made the acquaintance of Burns in the winter of 1786, shortly after the publication of his first Kilmarnock volume. Having read the '' Cottar's Saturday Night'' in a friend's copy while recovering from a severe illness, she was so delighted with it that she immediately sent off a messenger to Mossgiel Farm (Burns's home), fifteen or sixteen miles distant, for half a dozen copies, and with a friendly invitation for Burns to call at Dunlop House. Frances's relationship to William Wallace was also mentioned, and Burns in his reply warmly expressed his gratification at her noticing his attempts to celebrate her illustrious ancestor. From this time they became fast friends and frequent correspondents, Burns's letters to her being often on the more serious themes. He was also in the habit of enclosing poems to her, among the more remarkable sent her being '' Auld Lang Syne'', ''Gae fetch to me a pint of wine'', and ''Farewell, thou fair day''. In his last years she deserted him, and he sent her several letters without ever receiving any explanation. In his last written to her, 12 July 1796, he says that having written so often without obtaining an answer, he would not have written her again but for the fact that he would soon be "beyond that bourne whence no traveller returns". When Currie proposed to write the '' Life of Burns'', Mrs. Dunlop refused to permit her letters to Burns to see the light, but agreed to give a letter of Burns for every one of hers returned. As Burns wrote several to her without obtaining an answer, these were not recovered. She died on 24 May 1815.

Family

In 1747 Frances married John Dunlop of Dunlop, Ayrshire. They had seven sons (including Lieut. Gen.

James Dunlop of Dunlop Lieutenant General James Wallace Dunlop 21st of that ilk (19 June 1759 – 30 March 1832) was a Scottish Laird and British military officer who distinguished himself in India and the Napoleonic Wars. Dunlop led the left column at the Battle of ...

) and six daughters. Burns, in her honour, named his second son Francis Wallace Burns.

Notes

References

* ; Endnotes: ** Robertson's Account of the Families in Ayr ** Paterson's History of Ayr ** Works of Robert Burns. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dunlop, Frances Anne Walker 1730 births 1815 deaths 18th-century Scottish women People from East Ayrshire Robert Burns 19th-century Scottish landowners Scottish letter writers 18th-century Scottish landowners