A great 'borrower' of books, Gilbert's father had absorbed the collections of his peers, soaking up the styles, structure and content of the texts he read which were, in turn, embraced by his sons.
One of his favourite and most memorable 'loans' belonged to a friend of the family, whose position as gardener of Bourtreehill may have given him access to an even greater library of manuscripts and books.
William Burnes is known to have borrowed at least one book from the gardener, whose grave can be found in Irvine Parish Churchyard. That the loan of this publication on English History had a profound effect on Gilbert Burns can be seen in a quote from the man himself:
"I recollect indeed my father borrowed a volume of English history from Mr Hamilton of Bourtree-hill's gardener. It treated of the reign of James the First, and his unfortunate son, Charles, but I do not know who was the author; all that I remember of it is something of Charles's conversation with his children."