A glimpse into life around 1780...

Tam o' Shanter

When chapmen billies leave the street,
And drouthy neibors, neibors meet,
As market days are wearing late,
An' folk begin to tak the gate;
While we sit bousing at the nappy,
And getting fou and unco happy,
We think na on the lang Scots miles,
The mosses, waters, slaps, and styles,
That lie between us and our hame,
Where sits our sulky sullen dame.
Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm...

I was working in Ayrshire today, and, as I had a little spare time on my hands, took a detour via Tarbolton...
Under the thatched roof of a humble looking 17th century house in Tarbolton, the famous Rabbie Burns learned to dance, founded a debating club and became a Freemason. His debating club was formed in 1780, when he drew up the 10 rules of membership, one being that you had to be a bachelor living in the parish of Tarbolton.... and no, the term bachelor didn't include spinsters of the parish...no equal oppportunities then!
I arrived late in the day, as the kindly custodian was closing up. He very happily let me take this photo before he did so... Despite the late hour, he would have shown me round if I had answered his question "have you come a distance?" in the affirmative, but I didn't have the heart to do so. I will go back another day...
The house is now a National Trust Museum showing life as it was at that time...