FANS of Robert Burns had just four hours yesterday to catch a glimpse of two of the Bard’s original manuscripts.
Holy Willie’s Prayer (1785) from the National Library of Scotland (NLS) in Edinburgh and The Ordination: A Scotch Poem (1786), both pictured, from the Mitchell Library in Glasgow went on show side-by-side for the first time in many years in the latter city, at the Kelvin Hall.
On brief display ahead of Burns Night, the works are said to contain some of Burns’s most provocative social commentary. Both explore the use and misuse of religious power in 18th-century Scotland. Robert McLean, curator of 18th-century manuscripts at the NLS, said: “We chose these ones because they’re iconic Burns works.
“Holy Willie’s Prayer, in particular, is one of Burns’s greatest satires, basically exposing the hypocrisy of key individuals within the Scottish Church and people who misuse religion for their own ends. I think that has resonance for members of the public today who might want to come and have a look at those manuscripts.
“There were two reasons for the shortness of the display. The first is conservation – we only have them on a short display in order to preserve them for future generations – but also because Holy Willie’s Prayer is a national treasure.
“It has special security arrangements which means we can only have it on display for a short time and then we have to transport it back to Edinburgh.”
As people prepared to toast the Bard last night, a bottle of single malt that was distilled shortly after the end of the Second World War sold at auction for £18,000.
The Macallan 1946 Select Reserve 52 years old was expected to fetch around £8000 at McTear’s Rare and Fine Whisky Auction in Glasgow but sold for a hammer price of £14,000, with buyer’s premium and VAT taking it up to £18,000.
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