Robert Fergusson - Citizendia

For other uses, see Bob Ferguson

Statue of Fergusson outside the Canongate Kirk on Edinburgh's Royal Mile

Robert Fergusson (September 5, 1750 - October 16, 1774), Scottish poet, son of William Fergusson, a clerk in the British Linen Company, was born in Edinburgh. Bob Ferguson may refer to Bob Ferguson (politician, Washington state politician Bob Ferguson (music (1927-2001 songwriter The Kirk of the Canongate - or Canongate Kirk - serves the Parish of Canongate in Edinburgh 's Old Town, in Scotland The Royal Mile is the popular name for the succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of Edinburgh's Old Town. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1750 ( MDCCL) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1774 ( MDCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A poet is a person who writes Poetry. Etymology From the Ancient greek: ποιέω, poieō: "I make or compose" The British Linen Bank was a Commercial bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow.

1 Life
2 Influence
3 External links
4 See also

Life

Robert, one of Edinburgh's most gifted but least recognised poets, was educated at the Edinburgh Royal High School [1], High School of Dundee, and at the University of St Andrews, where he matriculated in 1765. The Royal High School (RHS of Edinburgh can trace its roots back to 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland. The High School of Dundee, informally Dundee High School, is one of Scotland 's leading private or Independent schools, and the only such school in Dundee (Dùn Dèagh is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 local government council The University of St Andrews is the oldest University in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking world, having been founded between Year 1765 ( MDCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a His father, who was originally from Aberdeenshire but had moved to Edinburgh, died while Robert was still at college; but a bursary enabled him to complete his four years of study. He refused to study for the church, and was too nervous to study medicine as his friends wished. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the He quarrelled with his uncle, John Forbes of Round Lichnot, Aberdeenshire, and returned to Edinburgh, where he obtained employment as copying clerk in a lawyer's office. Aberdeenshire or the County of Aberdeen ( Siorrachd Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) is a Registration county of Scotland. In this occupation he passed the remainder of his life. While at college he had written a clever elegy on Dr David Gregory, and in 1771 he began to contribute verses regularly to Ruddiman's Weekly Magazine. The term " elegy " was originally used for a type of poetic meter ( Elegiac metre but is also used for a Poem of mourning from the Greek David Gregory may refer to David Gregory (mathematician, Scottish mathematician David Gregory (journalist, American journalist at Year 1771 ( MDCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a

He was a member of the Cape Club, celebrated by him in his poem of "Auld Reekie". The Edinburgh Cape Society is a convivial Edinburgh Tavern based society which was first established in the 18th Century. "The Knights of the Cape" assembled at a tavern in Craig's Close, in the vicinity of the Cross; each member had a name and character assigned to him, which he was required to maintain at all gatherings of the order. David Herd (1732-1810), the collector of the classic edition of Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs (1776), was sovereign of the Cape (in which he was known as "Sir Scrape") when Fergusson was dubbed a knight of the order, with the title of "Sir Precentor," in allusion to his fine voice. David Herd (1732 - 1810 was a Scottish anthologist. The son of a farmer in Kincardineshire, he became clerk to an accountant in Edinburgh Alexander Runciman, the historical painter, his pupil Jacob More, and Sir Henry Raeburn were all members. Alexander Runciman (15 August 1736 &ndash 4 October 1785 was a Scottish painter of historical and mythological subjects Sir Henry Raeburn ( 4 March, 1756 - 8 July, 1823) was a Scottish Portrait painter. The old minute books of the club abound with pencilled sketches by them, one of the most interesting of which, ascribed to Runciman's pencil, is a sketch of Fergusson in his character of "Sir Precentor. "

Fergusson's gaiety and wit made him an entertaining companion, and he indulged too freely in the convivial habits of the time. After a meeting with John Brown of Haddington he became, however, very serious, and would read nothing but his Bible. John Brown of Haddington (1722 &ndash 19 June[[ 787]] was a Scottish divine and author Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin A fall by which his head was severely injured aggravated symptoms of mental aberration which had begun to show themselves; and after about two months' confinement in the old Darien House--then the only public asylum in Edinburgh--the poet died at the age of 24[2]. A psychiatric hospital (previously called insane asylum, mental hospital; or derogatorily looney bin, nut house or Funny Farm) is

Influence

Fergusson's poems were collected in the year before his death. The influence of his writings on Robert Burns is undoubted. Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796 (also known as Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, the Bard of Ayrshire His "Leith Races" unquestionably supplied the model for the "Holy Fair. " Not only is the stanza the same, but the Mirth who plays the part of conductor to Fergusson, and the Fun who renders a like service to Burns, are manifestly conceived on the same model. "The Mutual Complaint of Plainstanes and Causey" probably suggested "The Brigs of Ayr"; "On seeing a Butterfly in the Street" has reflections in it which strikingly correspond with "To a Mouse"; and a comparison of "The Farmer's Ingle" of the elder poet with "The Cottar's Saturday Night" shows the influence of the city-bred poet on that picture of homely peasant life. Burns was the first to pay tribute to the merits of Fergusson; on his visit to Edinburgh in 1787 he sought out the poet's grave, and petitioned the authorities of the Canongate burying-ground for permission to erect the memorial stone which is preserved in the existing monument. The Canongate is a small district and former Burgh at the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland 's capital city The date there assigned for his birth differs from the one given above, which rests on the authority of his younger sister Margaret.

The first edition of Fergusson's poems was published by Ruddiman at Edinburgh in 1773, and a supplement containing additional poems, in 1779. A second edition appeared in 1785. There are later editions, by Robert Chambers (1850) and Dr AB Grosart (1851). Robert Chambers ( 10 July 1802 &ndash 17 March 1871) was a Scottish Author and Publisher, who in partnership A life of Fergusson is included in David Irving's Lives of the Scottish Poets, and in Robert Chambers's Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished Scotsmen.

Robert Fergusson is commemorated in Makars' Court, outside The Writers' Museum, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh.

Selections for Makars' Court are made by The Writers' Museum; The Saltire Society; The Scottish Poetry Library. The Saltire Society was established in 1936 to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland and restore the country to its proper place The Scottish Poetry Library was founded in 1984 by the poet Tessa Ransford.

Contents

Life

Influence

External links

See also