His stay in the city also resulted in some lifelong friendships, among which were those with Lord Glencairn, and Frances Anna Dunlop, who became his occasional sponsor and with whom he corresponded for many years until a gap developed. He embarked on a relationship with the separated Agnes "Nancy" McLehose, with whom he exchanged passionate letters under pennames (Burns called himself "Sylvander" and Nancy "Clarinda"'). When it became clear that Nancy would not be simply seduced into a physical relationship, Burns moved on to Jenny Clow, Nancy's domestic servant, who gave him a son, Robert Burns Clow, in 1788. He also had an affair with a servant girl, Margaret "May" Cameron. His relationship with Nancy ended in 1791 with a final meeting in Edinburgh before she sailed to Jamaica for what turned out to be a short-lived settlement with her alienated husband. Before she left, he sent her the manuscript of "Ae Fond Kiss" as a farewell. Burns's years in Dumfries were years of work and hardship, but contrary to reports written after his death, he was not rejected by others and he did not fall into moral decline. His fellow townsmen and his coworkers respected him. His health, which always caused him problems, began to fail, and he died of heart disease on July 21, 1796. His wife gave birth to their last child on the day of his
His stay in the city also resulted in some lifelong friendships, among which were those with Lord Glencairn, and Frances Anna Dunlop, who became his occasional sponsor and with whom he corresponded for many years until a gap developed. He embarked on a relationship with the separated Agnes "Nancy" McLehose, with whom he exchanged passionate letters under pennames (Burns called himself "Sylvander" and Nancy "Clarinda"'). When it became clear that Nancy would not be simply seduced into a physical relationship, Burns moved on to Jenny Clow, Nancy's domestic servant, who gave him a son, Robert Burns Clow, in 1788. He also had an affair with a servant girl, Margaret "May" Cameron. His relationship with Nancy ended in 1791 with a final meeting in Edinburgh before she sailed to Jamaica for what turned out to be a short-lived settlement with her alienated husband. Before she left, he sent her the manuscript of "Ae Fond Kiss" as a farewell. Burns's years in Dumfries were years of work and hardship, but contrary to reports written after his death, he was not rejected by others and he did not fall into moral decline. His fellow townsmen and his coworkers respected him. His health, which always caused him problems, began to fail, and he died of heart disease on July 21, 1796. His wife gave birth to their last child on the day of his