This Day in Scottish History July 21, 2010 It was on this day in 1796 the Scotland's beloved bard, Robert Burns died in Dumfries. Burns was only 37 years old at the time of his death. The cause of death appears to have been heart failure, probably brought on by the hard physical work done in his youth. His widow, Jean Armour, gave birth to a son on the day of her husband's funeral. However, Maxwell, named after Burns's doctor, died in infancy. Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation 1791 Fareweel to a' our Scottish fame, Fareweel our ancient glory; Fareweel ev'n to the Scottish name, Sae fam'd in martial story. Now Sark rins over Solway sands, An' Tweed rins to the ocean, To mark where England's province stands- Such a parcel of rogues in a nation! What force or guile could not subdue, Thro' many warlike ages, Is wrought now by a coward few, For hireling traitor's wages. The English stell we could disdain, Secure in valour's station; But English gold has been our bane- Such a parcel of rogues in a nation! O would, or I had seen the day That Treason thus could sell us, My auld grey head had lien in clay, Wi' Bruce and loyal Wallace! But pith and power, till my last hour, I'll mak this declaration; We're bought and sold for English gold- Such a parcel of rogues in a nation! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was on this day in 1827 that the Scottish publisher Archibald Constable died. Born in Cambee, Fife, Constable was responsible for printing many of Sir Walter Scott's works, Constable was the owner of the Encyclopaedia Britannica for a decade and was responsible for the commissioning of the 6th edition.