Robert Ainslie (lawyer)

Robert Ainslie (1766–1838) was a Scottish lawyer, and one of Robert Burns's long-term friends from his Edinburgh days. He was probably the closest confidant of Burns, whom he met first at a Masonic or Crochallan Fencibles event. Ainslie accompanied the poet on the first part of his Border Tour. Robert's father, also Robert, was a lawyer a bailie at Duns and a land-steward on Lord Douglas's Berwickshire estates. Robert married Jean Cunningham on 22 December 1798.

Life and character

He was the son of Robert Ainslie and his wife Magdeline Elliot of Woolie, described by Burns as "an excellent, sensible, cheerful, amicable old woman"; he was born at Berrywell House near Duns in 1766.

Whitelaw Ainslie (born 1763) was a younger brother. Other siblings were Douglas b. 23.10.1769 (died in infancy), Douglas b. 06.05.1771, James b. circa 1772 and one sister Rachael, b. 19.03.1768. She was the subject of a poetic ditty from Burns after she had listened to a sermon by Dr Bowmaker the parish minister. Writing in pencil on the blank leaf of her bible that "''Fair maid, you need not take the hint, nor idle text pursue: 'twas guilty sinners that he meant, not angels such as you.''" He hoped to set her mind at ease after the minister's sermon on the terrors of hellfire for the sinner and her searching her bible for the text. He is reported to have added that the minister was referring to him, adding that "''I am found out wherever I go.''"

In 1788 Ainslie became a Writer to the Signet, aged only 22, after Samuel Mitchelson died. He had joined Carruber's Close on the north side of High Street, Edinburgh, Mitchelson's law office, as law student. Ainslie's own office as a Writer to the Signet was in the Edinburgh New Town at Hill Street; and he also had a country estate at Edingham in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.

Robert Heron said of Ainslie that he was " ..a gentleman of the purest and most correct manners, who was accustomed sometimes to soothe the toils of a laborious profession, by an occasional converse with polite literature, and with general science." Hogg spoke of him as "honest Ainslie", commenting that one his failings was constitutional sleepiness, the irresistibility of which Hogg illustrated by stating that he has "seen him fall fast asleep in the blue parlour at Ambrose's, with North in the chair and myself croupier." In later life he became an Elder of the Church of Scotland.

He took on Agnes McLehose's son Andrew as an apprentice; he later became a Writer to the Signet.

Death

Ainslie died in 1838, aged 71, in Canongate. Edinburgh. He is buried in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard. His memorial inscription reads:

''Sacred to the memory of Robert Ainslie, Writer to the Signet who was born at Berrywell near Duns on 13th. January 1767 and died at Edinburgh on 11th. April 1838 in the 72nd. year of his age. This memorial is erected by his disconsolate widow, Isabella Munro, daughter of the late Rev. Robert Munro, Ullapool Ross-shire.''

Association with Robert Burns

Dugald Stewart commented that Burns was keeping "not very select society". He meant that Alexander Cunningham, Peter Hill, Robert Ainslie and others in Burns's circle, while respectable, were not of the literati. Ainslie, training to be a lawyer, became a close friend of both Cunningham and Burns; a common enjoyment of wine, women and Burns's songs, together with membership of the Freemasons and the Crochallan Fencibles drew Burns and Ainslie into each other's company in January 1787, and a long friendship was established. As a student Ainslie lived at No.6, St James's Square in Edinburgh and his near neighbours were George Thomson the music publisher, the artist John Beugo, the engraver and Alexander Nasmyth the painter, all of whom were more or less closely associated with Burns's career. Ainslie was 21, seven years younger than Burns, when they met. He is listed as a subscriber to two copies in Burns's ''Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect'' of 1787.

One day when Burns visited, Ainslie suggested that they spend the afternoon sharing a bottle of port. Burns retorted that to waste a beautiful afternoon dozing under the influence would be insufferable. The two men walked over Arthur's Seat. On their return they ate and had tea together and Ainslie commented that never had Burns been more instructive, amusing and such good company.

Following Burns's death Gilbert Burns wrote to Ainslie:"''I could not help considering the fame of author as well as the respectability and peace of his friends in considerable danger from the publication of letters written on private and confidential subjects.''" He was concerned that the antiquarian and author, Cromek, had obtained many of Burns's letters and requested that when Ainslie was in London he should call upon Cromek and report back.

Border tour 1787

Ainslie, having been granted two weeks leave, accompanied Burns on his travels and the pair left Edinburgh on 5 May 1787 beginning the first stage of the Borders Tour. At Eyemouth they both were inducted as Royal Arch Masons at St Abb's Lodge: Ainslie had to pay a fee but Burns was excused on account of his poetic genius. Ainslie had been Initiated into Scottish Freemasonry in Lodge Holyrood House (St Luke's), No.44, on 12 December 1783; Burns had been Initiated in a Masonic Lodge in Tarbolton, Ayrshire, in 1781.

At Coldstream Ainslie suggested that Burns should cross to England for the first time in his life. Ainslie crossed first, followed by Burns who fell to his knees and is said to have quoted the last two patriotic verses of "The Cotter's Saturday Night" -

Burns at Duns met Ainslie's family and described Robert Ainslie senior as an "uncommon character", informed on matters relating to "Agriculture, natural philosophy and politics." He also commented in his sporadic Border's Journal on Ainslie's sister Rachel, saying that "''My bardship's heart got a brush from Miss Betsey'; I could grasp her with a rapture on a bed of straw, and rise with contentment to the most sweltering drudgery of stiffening labour.''"

Confidences

Burns introduced Ainslie to Agnes Maclehose and he was privy to details of their relationship. Ainslie became her lawyer and for several years kept her informed as her confidant of much relevant information. It was Ainslie for instance who broke the news to Agnes of Burns's marriage. The lawyer's relationship with Agnes is open to question as in a letter to Agnes he states "''end of the week which you appointed as the Termination of my Banishment.''"

As a friend of both Agnes and Robert the Jenny Clow