Who was Robert Burns and why do we celebrate Burns Night?

Burns was known to have had many affairs throughout his life.

In 1785, his affair with a servant girl named Elizabeth Paton, resulted in an illegitimate child.

Jean Armour, a woman who became a constant presence in his life, became pregnant the following year.

Burns sought permission to marry her but Jean's father refused.

Annoyed by this, Burns planned to travel to Jamaica with another woman named Mary Campbell, who tragically died shortly after.

She is more commonly known today as Highland Mary.

After Mary's death, Burns still attempted to gather funds to leave for Jamaica.

However, in 1786, he published his first collection titled 'Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect', widely known as the Kilmarnock edition.

These poems garnered rapid success, making him known across Scotland.

He postponed his intended trip to Jamaica.