John Syme (1755 – 24 November 1831) was a Scottish lawyer and one of the poet Robert Burns's closest friends during his time in Dumfries. In the summers of 1793 and 1794 he joined Burns on his two short tours of Galloway. Syme and Alexander Cunningham were amongst the most active of the friends and admirers of Burns's works who raised funds for the poet's family and for his mausoleum with the assistance of others such as James Currie. Together with Dr Willam Maxwell he arranged Burns's funeral.
Life and character
He was the son of the Laird of Barncailzie in the old Kirkudbrightshire, Dumfries and Galloway. He was educated in Edinburgh and had served in the 72nd Regiment of Foot as an ensign for several years, however he left to manage his father's estate only for the family to be divested of their property to pay their debts following the collapse of the Douglas, Heron & Company Bank in Ayr Bank. He had carried out experiments in agricultural improvements at Barncailzie which lies a few miles from Crocketford. From 1791 he worked in Dumfries in an office in the Wee or Stinking Vennel, now 11 Bank Street, directly below the first house that Robert Burns and his family occupied after moving from Ellisland Farm.
Syme followed in his father's footsteps in as far as that he became a Writer to the Signet. In 1791 he was appointed His Majestie's Distributor of Stamps and Collector of Stamp Duties for the Dumfries district, collecting taxes on land sales, registrations, etc.
He and his family lived at Ryedale House, a small estate in the Parish of Troqueer on the Maxwellton side of the River Nith. Syme married Jane Millar, who died in pregnancy in 1809. Syme died on the 24 November 1831 aged 76 and was buried beside his wife in the Troqueer Kirkyard having lived 35 years longer than his friend Robert Burns.
Syme was also the factor for his old school friend, Dr James Currie's, Moncrieff Estate near Moffat in Dumfriesshire. In addition he acted at times as a surveyor for Currie; the two men served on the committee of the Dumfries and Galloway Horticultural Society and they often went on hunting expeditions together.
Syme was one of the first to join the Royal Dumfries Volunteers in January 1795, as did Robert Burns, John Lewars and James Gracie under Captain John Finnan. This Volunteer force was set up in response to fear of a french invasion.
In the History of Dumfries, William McDowall wrote in 1867 that "Mr Syme is still well remembered in the town as a fine specimen of the old Scottish gentleman, clear-headed, warm-hearted, well-cultivated, courteous, full of anecdote and wit and, as the fashion then went, devoted to the pleasures of the table, which he never relished so much as when Burns was his cronie."
Association with Robert Burns
Syme got to know Burns whilst the poet was living at Ellisland Farm and came into Dumfries once a week to collector his mail from the Post Office. In September 1790 he was invited to breakfast at Ellisland and met Jean Armour, however he was not very taken by her, observing "Methinks he has exhibited his poetical genius when he celebrated her." The two met socially at John Bushby's home at Tinwald. Burn's is said to have fallen out with Bushby over a prank where he pretended that a pudding was cold, however when Burns heartily 'tucked in' he bady scalded his mouth on the piping hot food. In September 1793 he wrote of Burns that "Were it not for his presence, I should feel a dreary blank in the society of this town" and in June 1793 he commented that "I see Burns frequently, and love him more and more."
Burns regarded Syme very highly, terming him his "Supreme Court of Critical Judicature, from which there is no appeal."
Burns was a frequent visitor at Syme's family home, Ryedale House, in the Parish of Troqueer. He wrote two short verses regarding Syme: Apology to John Syme.
In May 1794 Burns sent Syme a case of a dozen bottles of porter from the Jerusalem Tavern together with the verse: To John Syme of Ryedale
He is also referred to in the Second Heron Election Ballad:
Syme had a copy of the Della Cruscan British Album and Burns wrote the following lines within it:
The 'despot' is an unwise reference to the prime minister William Pitt.
Syme was an enthusiastic collector of Burns's epigrams, many of which, although humorous, were somewhat unwise in that they lampooned, criticised, etc. the very people who could have assisted Burns's in his career, etc. It is clear however that Syme had not expected them all to be published. These epigrams and some poems are contained within two manuscripts in the 1930s were in the hands of E.A.Hornel, the biblophile and artist.