Letter to William Nicol written by Robert Burns in Carlisle

William Nicol (1744-97) was the son of a tailor in Ecclefechan. In 1774 he became the classical master in the High School, Edinburgh and remained there until 1795. He had a fight with the Rector, Dr Alexander Adam and opened a school of his own. Burns does not appear to have met him at the events and parties organised for him during his stay in the capital so no one knows when or how they met. Nicol also had a reputation for being irratable and so was not popular amongst Edinburgh society.

Perhaps Burns was attracted by Nicol's 'witty wickedness and manful mischief' which he described in a letter to music publisher, George Thomson in 1795, stating [Nicol] had "that propensity to witty wickedness and manfu’ mischief, which even at twa days auld I foresaw would form the striking features of his disposition”.