Mystery of the moody Bard

HE suffered from melancholy and mood swings and even coined a term for his emotional state – ‘blue devilisim’.

Now a study is under way to find out if Robert Burns really did have a mental illness.

The idea our national poet may have had bipolar disorder has sparked huge debate since it was first introduced. Experts from Glasgow University are examining his letters, relationships and even what he did in his day-to-day life to try to solve the puzzle.

Moira Hansen, principal researcher on the study, said: ‘What really makes our project different and new is the vast majority of our data is coming from Burns himself, through his letters and journals.

‘What we have done is to build a methodology based on the modern clinical standards used in relation to mood disorders. We have identified 12 different areas across activity, behaviour and state of mind.’

The study will examine all aspects of Burns’s life, including his behaviour, his alcohol consumption and his extra-marital affairs.

Miss Hansen said periods of apparent depression could be pinpointed in the materials examined – such as in December 1 86, when Burns was a rising star of the Edinburgh literary scene but wrote melancholy letters to his acquaintances.

The initial findings of the four-year project will be presented at a conference at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, Ayrshire, on Saturday.