CHRONOLOGY
|
Life of Robert Burns |
Contemporary Events |
|
1732 Haydn born |
|
|
1737 Thomas Paine born |
|
|
1750 |
|
|
1752 |
|
|
1754 |
|
|
1755 |
|
|
1756 |
|
|
1757 William Blake born British defeat French at Plessey |
|
|
1758 Nelson born Halley's Comet returns as predicted |
|
|
1759 Born at Alloway, 25th January |
1759 Handel dies British capture Quebec Mary Wollstonecraft born British Museum opens Harrison Completes Number Four (Prize- winning chronometer) Candide by Voltaire Arthur Guinness establishes first brewery Wedgwood sets up business |
|
1760 Gilbert Burns born |
1760 George II dies Benjamin Franklin erects lightning rods in Philadelphia Identification of hydrogen by Cavendish |
|
1761 Black discovers latent heat in ice |
|
|
1762 Chippendale publishes Cabinetmakers' Directory Rousseau's Discours Gluck's Orfeo et Eurydice Ossian's Fingal proved a forgery |
|
|
1763 Boswell meets Johnson Jeremiah Dixon and Charles Mason begin their survey |
|
|
1764 Hargreaves develops spinning jenny Voltaire publishes Dictionnaire Philosophique Catherine founds The Hermitage in St. Petersburg |
|
|
1765 Robert and Gilbert taught by John Murdoch |
1765 James Watt develops efficient steam engine |
|
1766 William Burnes leases farm at Mount Oliphant |
1766 Giant bones found near the Meuse river, later identified as remains of a mosasaur |
|
1767 Work begins on Edinburgh's New Town |
|
|
1768 Laurence Sterne dies Foundation of the Royal Academy Publication of Encyclopaedia Britannica begins Cook sails for the Pacific Reynolds becomes first president of the Royal Academy Arkwright introduces spinning frame in England |
|
|
1769 Watt's steam engine patented Napoleon born Wellington born |
|
|
1770 Wordsworth born Hegel born Goethe completes first part of Faust Beethoven born James Hogg born d'Holbach's Le Systeme de la Nature published Bruce finds source of Blue Nile |
|
|
1771 Tobias Smollett dies Christopher Smart dies |
|
|
1772 Robert and Gilbert attend Dalrymple School |
1772 Final volume of L'Encyclopédie published Thomas Gray dies Samuel Taylor Coleridge born First partition of Poland between Russia and Austria |
|
1773 Burns receives tuition in English grammar, French and Latin from Murdoch in Ayr Introduced to the work of Alexander Pope |
1773 Boston Tea Party Cook crosses Antarctic Circle Stock Exchange established in Jonathan's coffee-house |
|
1774 First song, Handsome Nell, written for Helen Blair |
1774 Joseph Priestley discovers oxygen Joseph Wright of Derby witnesses eruption of Vesuvius Louis XV dies Formulation of the rules of cricket |
|
1775 Burns studies mathematics with Hugh Rodger at Kirkoswald |
1775 Richard Sheridan's The Rivals opens |
|
1776 |
|
|
1777 Family moves to Lochlea or Lochlie at Tarbolton Burns attends dancing classes |
|
|
1778 Thomas Arne dies Humphrey Davy born Carolus Linnaeus dies Rousseau dies Voltaire dies Bramah invents water-closet |
|
|
1779 William Boyce dies David Garrick dies Comte de Buffon argues that the Earth is much older than Biblical evidence suggests Crompton produces spinning mule |
|
|
1780 Tarbolton Bachelors' Club formed by Burns and six others Mary Morison |
1780 Spallanzani develops artificial insemination Gordon riots |
|
1781 Inducted into St David's Lodge, Tarbolton Learns the trade of flax-dressing at Irvine Pays court to Elizabeth Gebbie |
1781 William Herschel discovers Uranus George Stephenson born Kant's Critique of Pure Reason Schiller's Die Rauber British surrender to Washington at Yorktown Messier produces star catalogue |
|
1782 Flax shop at Irvine destroyed by fire John Barleycorn |
1782 Last witch-burning in Europe (Switzerland) |
|
1783 Green Grow The Rashes The Rigs O' Barley |
1783 Luigi Galvani develops the electric cell Lancelot "Capability" Brown dies Mongolfier makes balloon ascent |
|
1784 William Burnes dies Gilbert and Robert Burns rent Mossgiel Farm from Gavin Hamilton Man Was Made To Mourn |
1784 Diderot dies Franklin commissions bifocal spectacles Pitt the Younger becomes Prime Minister First Bristol to London mail coach |
|
1785 Burns meets Jean Armour at a dance in April Daughter Elizabeth born in May; her mother is Elizabeth Paton Burns "attests" his marriage to Jean Armour in September Address To The Deil The Cotter's Saturday Night Death And Doctor Hornbook Halloween The Holy Fair Holy Willie's Prayer The Jolly Beggars Rantin', Rovin' Robin To A Mouse |
1785 Hutton introduces scientific geology Cartwright patents power loom |
|
1786 Death of "Highland" Mary Campbell Publication of the Kilmarnock Edition First visit to Edinburgh Jean Armour gives birth to twins, Robert and Jean Address To A Haggis The Lass Of Ballochmyle To A Louse To A Mountain Daisy The Twa Dogs |
1786 First ascent of Mont Blanc Klaproth discovers uranium |
|
1787 Tours of Scotland Second visit to Edinburgh First Edinburgh Edition published May Cameron advises Burns of her pregnancy Collaborates with Johnson in "The Scots Musical Museum" Meets Agnes Maclehose ("Clarinda") The Birks Of Aberfeldy Bonie Dundee A Rose-Bud By My Early Walk Selkirk Grace |
1787 Lavoisier publishes Method of Chemical Nomenclature |
|
1788 Burns moves to Ellisland Excise commission issued to Burns Authenticity of Burns’s marriage to Jean recognised by Mauchline Kirk Session Auld Lang Syne Comin' Thro' The Rye O' A' The Airts The Wind Can Blaw A Mother's Lament |
1788 Byron born Penal colony founded in Botany Bay |
|
1789 Begins work as excise officer The Braes O' Killiecrankie John Anderson, My Jo My Love, She's But A Lassie Yet Ca' The Yowes Willie Brew'd A Peck O' Maut |
1789 French Revolution Thomas Paine's Rights of Man Blake's Songs of Innocence Mutiny on the Bounty Washington becomes first president of USA |
|
1790 Tam O'Shanter |
1790 Adam Smith dies Benjamin Franklin dies Galvani carries out electrical experiments Cartwright introduces steam-powered loom |
|
1791 Burns moves to Dumfries Ann Park gives birth to Burns's daughter, Elizabeth Attends Gilbert's wedding Meets Agnes Maclehose for the last time (6thDecember) Ae Fond Kiss sent to Agnes (27th December) Bonie Wee Thing Sweet Afton Ye Jacobites By Name |
1791 Mozart dies Michael Faraday born Samuel Morse born |
|
1792 Made an Honorary Member of the Royal Company of Archers Attempts to send the captured brig Rosamund's carronades to French revolutionaries Burns investigated as "a person disaffected to Government" The Deil's Awa' Wi' The Exciseman Highland Mary Willie Wastle |
1792 Robert Adam dies Percy Shelley born Raeburn's Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch Foundation of French Republic Rouget de Lisle composes La Marseillaise |
|
1793 Second Edinburgh Edition published Bonie Jean The Soldier's Return Whistle, And I'll Come To You, My Lad |
1793 Execution of Louis XVI Assassination of Marat |
|
1794 Charlie, He's My Darling My Nanie's Awa'; My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose |
1794 Edward Gibbon dies |
|
1795 Founder Member of Dumfries Volunteers The Lass Of Ecclefechan A Man's A Man For A' That Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat? |
1795 John Keats born British seize Cape Town Mungo Park reaches Niger river |
|
1796 Burns dies on July 21st; his son Maxwell is born on the day of his funeral: July 25 th Fifth volume of Scots Musical Museum published Inscription to Miss Jessy Lewars; O Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast |
1796 Catherine the Great dies Edward Jenner discovers smallpox vaccine Senefelder invents lithography |
|
1797 Horace Walpole dies Edmund Burke dies MacArthur introduces merino sheep to Australia |
|
|
1798 Napoleon invades Egypt Irish rebellion suppressed Nelson defeats French at Aboukir Bay Wordsworth and Coleridge publish Lyrical Ballads Malthus publishes Essay on the Principle of Population |
|
|
1799 George Washington dies Beethoven writes first symphony Napoleon becomes First Consul |
|
|
1800 Act of Union between Britain and Ireland Volta makes first battery |
|
|
1801 First paddle steamer (Scotland) Trevithick builds steam carriage |