Clarinda (Mrs Agnes McLehose) - A source of inspiration

Agnes McLehose was, what was known at the time, a grass widow - a woman whose husband had deserted her. She was of respectable family and lived in Alison Square, Potterrow (now demolished) courtesy of her uncle.

She was very beautiful and wrote poetry. In 1787 Robert Burns came to Edinburgh. She wished to meet him and, well aware of his reputation, arranged to see him at a social gathering organised by a friend. He could not come because of a knee injury, but they wrote many letters to each other. They used the pseudonyms Clarinda and Sylvander in order to preserve her reputation.

The ‘affair’ ended in the White Hart Inn in 1791 when Agnes found he was having an affair with her maid Jenny Clau.

Robert Burns wrote many verses for her including -

“Ae Fond Kiss”

“Clarinda Mistress of my soul” and

“My love is like a red red rose”

Agnes died aged 82, 45 years after Burns. She claimed never to have stopped loving him.

For those that like a rummage through old letters...link here