A HANDWRITTEN manuscript of a song by Robert Burns dating back to 1791 is to go on display for just two hours to celebrate the birth of the bard.

The manuscript of Ae Fond Kiss will go on show in the National Library of Scotland premises in Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall on January 25. It will be displayed between 1.30pm and 3.30pm only, due to the need to restrict the amount of time the document is exposed to light.

Burns wrote the song as his love Agnes McLehose prepared to depart for Jamaica. Library manuscripst director Ralph McLean said: We are pleased to be able to offer people in Glasgow the opportunity to see the original version that Burns composed for Agnes.”