of thieves, night walkers, breakers of yards, drunkards, whore-masters, swearers, liars, or otherwise scandalous in their lives," and it is provided "that both of them own the Protestant religion."

While attending school in Dundee, the yet unfledged poet boarded with a person named Peter Murray. No more than this has been gathered of his Dundee life, except that in the fall of 1764, when it was discovered that the bursar had completed his fourteenth year, and could consequently be held no longer at the Grammar School, but having signified his intention to follow. out his learning and go to the College of St. Andrews, the patrons recommended the said Peter Murray to "acquaint the boy's father of his intention, and to procure from the Presbitry of Dundee a certificate of his capacity for being put to the Colledge; upon which they would present him accordingly." It was his parents' desire-more than the boy's own, perhaps― that he should proceed to college. His progress in Dundee, as earlier in Edinburgh, had been rapid and praiseworthy Dr. Irving and other biographers designate it "surprising "-and certificates of "full qualification were easily obtained. It fell thus, that while on the 6th of December he "compeared before the Trustees of the Mortification" and stated formally that it was his wish to pursue his learning," on the 7th of the same month he obtained the "missive letter" of presentation to the Principal and Masters of the University. But a few months earlier-perhaps in the period of school vacation-he accompanied his mother on a visit to his uncle, Mr. John Forbes of Round Lichnot, a farm in the neighbourhood of Old Meldrum, in Aberdeenshire. In a letter written to his wife

(from Warriston's Close, High Street, Edinburgh, where the family were now living) under date 17th August, William Fergusson says: "It gives me no small satisfaction to find that you have had so agreeable a meeting with your brother and sisters, and that Rob. has held out the journey." The reference to "Rob." and the "journey" hints at continued physical weakness. Anyway, this was probably FERGUSSON'S first visit to Aberdeenshire. He was now in his parents' native region, as Alexander Gordon notes, and had opportunities of seeing the varied life of the stouthearted country folks. It was the time when "bauks o' corn bent down wi' laded ear," of which he afterwards sang in his "Farmer's Ingle." The fields were white unto the harvest, and it is possible that he may have followed the reapers at their work, if he did not actually try his hand at binding and stooking the "bearded beir." And if he joined the workers thus through the day, he would as likely join the family at the hearth in the evening, when

In rangles round, before the ingle's lowe,

Frae gudame's mouth auld warld tales they hear,

O' warlocks loupin' round the wirrikowe ;

O' ghaists that win in glen and kirkyard drear;

Whilk touzles a' their tap, and gars them shak wi' fear!"

It was in the brief period here, or in like brief periods elsewhere, assuredly, that FERGUSSON gained his knowledge of country life-almost all he knew of it; yet several of his poems reveal such intimacy with rural ways and habits, and such a relish of country doings, that one is struck with astonishment at the quickness of his eye and the keenness of his ear.

From Round Lichnot he returned with his mother to

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Warriston's Close, and he resided there with his parents until February, 1765, when he proceeded to St. Andrews and became a student in the Humanity (Latin) and Greek Classes, under Professors Wilson and Morton. He does not seem, however, to have taken very kindly to the Classics; indeed, his first biographer, and intimate friend, Mr. Ruddiman, is responsible for the statement that FERGUSSON asserted that Virgil and Horace were the only Latin authors he would ever look at while he was at the University." Whether this be true or not, it is certain that he was a considerable proficient in Mathematics, and it may be supposed that Natural Philosophy was a favourite study, for he commended himself very highly to Dr. Wilkie, who held the professorship of that subject in the University. The story has come down, indeed, that Wilkie made choice of him to read his lectures to his class, when sickness or other causes prevented his own performance of the duty. Very likely, however, it is but a story. Dr. Irving ridicules the idea of a youth of sixteen "mounting," as he expresses it, "the professorial rostrum "; and "besides the inadequacy of years," as Dr. Chambers sagely adds, "FERGUSSON possessed none of that gravity of demeanour which was calculated to secure the respectful attention of his compeers. His classical attainments were respectable; but for the maturer branches of scholastic and scientific knowledge he always expressed, with the petulance of a youth of lively parts, who did not wish to be subjected to the labour of hard study, a decided contempt. Dr. Wilkie's regards must, therefore, have been attracted by other qualifications than those of the graver and more solid cast-namely, by the sprightly

humour and uncommon powers of conversation for which FERGUSSON was already in a considerable degree distinguished." The legend of his reading the lectures in public arose, perhaps, from his having been employed to transcribe them. Professor Vilant, in a letter to the poet's nephew, James Inverarity, makes this, indeed, fairly clear. "A youthful, frolicsome exhibition of your uncle," he says, 'first directed Dr. Wilkie's attention to him, and he afterwards employed him one summer and part of another in transcribing a fair copy of his academical lectures." That FERGUSSON would have read the lectures to the class, if he got the chance, there need, of course, be little doubt. His relish for practical joking was too keen to have allowed him to resist the opportunity. That he got the chance, however, is not likely. Dr. Wilkie "knew his man too well. Doubtless the professor and his boy-student were on easy terms of friendship. For they were both poets *--both humorists-both great talkers and conversationalists. Together they were accustomed to visit Wilkie's farm, about four miles distant from St. Andrews, and make occasional week-end trips to Anstruther and elsewhere. The lad, indeed, had not been long at college when he distinguished himself as a versifier given to satirea lively and impulsive boon companion-and became mixed up in occasional episodes which scarcely became the character of "Robert Fergusson, Student of Divinity." Yet his satire and his tricks were executed ever in a spirit of true fun. One of the janitors, years afterwards, described him to Mr. Inverarity, in a

* See note to "An Eclogue to the Memory of Dr. William Wilkie," page 67.

single sentence. He was asked if he recollected FERGUSSON. "Bob Fergusson," he exclaimed; "that I do! Many a time I've put him to the door. Ah! he was a tricky callant, but a fine laddie for a' that." "And he seemed to feel," said the poet's nephew, "great pleasure in the recollection of so amiable a boy." Amiable he was, we may be sure. ROBERT FERGUSSON'S sprightly and kindly nature could never at any time allow him to be aught else; and the "random fits o' daffin'" which he manifested, and were so well remembered by his compeers and others, were likely no more than merely "random fits" in a prevailing atmosphere of serious study and severe academic discipline. That he was a distinguished student cannot be asserted; but the fact that he had never taken very warmly to the idea of entering the ministry of the Kirk must be allowed to count for something-and for a good deal of his frolicsomeness perhaps. Be that as it may, entertaining stories of his playful humour are preserved by his biographers. While at college, the young poet, Dr. Chambers tells, used to put in practice a frolic which marks the singular vivacity of his character. Whenever he received a remittance from his friends in Edinburgh, he hung out the money in a little bag attached by a string to the end of a pole fixed in the little window of his room; and there he would let it dangle for a whole day in the wind. He is supposed to have done this partly from puerile exultation in the possession of his wealth, and partly by way of making a bravado in the eyes of his companions; among whom, no doubt, the slenderness of their funds and the failure of supplies would be frequent subjects of raillery.