a Scottish poet, who acquired a considerable share of celebrity at a very early period of life, was born at Edinburgh on the 5th of September 1750 or 1751. His father, whose name was William, paid court to the muses as well as the son; but he wisely relinquished the study of poetry for the more certain emoluments of trade and commerce, and was employed in different mercantile houses both in Edinburgh and in Aberdeen. He was an accountant in the Linen Hall when he died, but never acquired any thing like an independent fortune.

The subject of this notice was of a weak and delicate constitution during infancy, so much so, indeed, that small hopes were entertained of his ever reaching the years of manhood. Yet such were the care and attention of his parents, that he was able to attend an English school by the time he was six years of age, when his progress was considered as very extraordinary; and it proved no less rapid at the High School of Edinburgh, which he attended for four years, acquiring a competent knowledge of the Latin tongue with very little labour or exertion. He then went to the grammar school of Dundee, and in two years afterwards to the university of St Andrews, which his father preferred to Edinburgh, because a gentleman of the name of Ferguson had left two bursaries for the education of as many boys of the same name.

Ferguson's health was never at any time impaired by severe study; yet he kept alive at the university the opinion which had been entertained of him whilst at school, and he was decidedly the first mathematician of his own standing. He was patronized by Dr Wilkie, professor of natural philosophy, but better known as the author of the Epigoniad, who conceived an attachment for him, as much perhaps for his poetical as his mathematical talents. This kindness was repaid by Ferguson, on the death of Dr Wilkie, by a beautiful eclogue to his memory, written in