54

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

all that time, I have met with the highest instances of friendship from all ranks of people, both in town and country, which I do here acknowledge with the utmost respect and gratitude;" and particularly the goodness of our present gracious Sovereign, who, out of his privy purse, allows me fifty pounds a-year, which is regularly paid without any deduction.97

96 Our memoranda show, that besides King George III. bestowing a pension on Ferguson, his Majesty also frequently sent him presents, as a mark of esteem; as also did the several branches of the Royal Family. From the nobility and gentry in various parts of the Kingdom he received likewise substantial marks of the estimation in which they held him.

97 On referring to “THE PRIVY PURSE ACCOUNTS," in the State Paper Office, London, we find that this pension of "fifty pounds a-year" was granted by King George III., to Mr. Ferguson, in the end of the year 1761, and that he drew the first half of his pension-viz. £25, on January 224, 1762 (the pension being payable half-yearly).

EXTENDED MEMOIR

OF

JAMES FERGUSON.

1743.

FERGUSON LEAVES EDINBURGH FOR LONDON.-It is now not certainly known what made Ferguson resolve to leave Edinburgh. He would, no doubt, see many obstacles in the way to his attaining success in it. On looking around him he could not fail to observe that its trade was in a very depressed state; that there was then a scarcity of the "circulating medium;' that an apathy had settled down on its inhabitants; and that there was a consequent want of enterprise—a state of things, he would find, that had arisen since the Union, owing, in a great measure, to the large numbers of the nobility and gentry abandoning it for London. In short, Edinburgh, between the date of the Union, in 1707, and the year 1750, passed through one of the most depressed periods of its history-a period which has been designated "the dark age of Edinburgh." It is therefore evident that Edinburgh, in 1743, was not the place to give full scope to Ferguson's genius, where he could expect to have success in his self-taught business of limning, or as an occasional writer on his favourite science of astronomy. We may also add, that Ferguson, about a year previous to his leaving Edinburgh, had set afloat in the London literary market there, two speculations-viz." The Astronomical Rotula," and an Astronomical Card-Dial. Of the success of the latter publication, nothing now is known; 98 but the former-the Rotula-was successful. It sold

98 We refer to this Dial in note 65; but as it now seems to be utterly unknown, we will here give a more full description of it. The top part of it contains "Scales of the signs," and " Scales of the days of the month; and under these, there is an inverted triangular "Scale of Latitudes, from the Equator to 60 Degrees; and directly under is the dial for the hours of the day. The top compartment has engraved on it, within a sweeping concave-curve which bounds the top of this dial, the words "Forenoon hours," Morning hours; " and in a similar curve at the bottom of it there are engraved, "Afternoon hours," "Evening hours." Along

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well in Edinburgh and other towns, but nowhere so well as in London. Thus, the Rotula became to Ferguson an " avant couriere." His name being thus advertised in the great metropolis, would be to him a matter of great importance, and, no doubt, would in due time become one of his strongest inducements to remove to that city. Besides, he had then no strong tie to bind him to Scotland. His infirm parents had then recently died at advanced ages; and therefore, in leaving, he would be spared the pain of bidding them a last farewell.99 It would appear from our notes, that Ferguson, early in the spring of 1743, after carefully considering all matters, and no doubt receiving the approbation of his friends, finally made up his mind, and determined to leave Edinburgh for London, the great seat of wealth, patronage, and power-the most proper place for him; as there he would have the greatest possible chance of meeting with success in his contemplated pursuits.

Having now resolved to leave Edinburgh for London, he began making preparations for his departure. He at once set about finishing a beautiful little orrery with ivory wheels, of his own invention, and which had been in hand for some time previous. After completing its wheel-work, he enclosed it in a mahogany box of twelve sides, having a short pillar rising from each angle of the box, supporting a thin, broad, wooden circle,—the ecliptic circle, the surface of which he covered with paper, and then neatly inscribed on it, with a pen, the names and days of the month, the signs and degrees of the ecliptic, &c. The wheelwork was concealed from view by a thin circular plate, above which, in the centre, was placed a gilded sun; the earth and moon were ivory balls, which, along with the sun, were set in motion by a winch communicating with the internal wheels. When it was all completed, it had a very handsome appear

J. Fer

the margin-border there is a "Scale of Rectifying Signs for the Bead;" and along the margin-border on the right hand, there is a "Scale of Altitudes, from the horizon to the zenith." In the lower left-hand corner there is engraved, guson, Delin.;" and in the lower corner on the right, "R. Cooper, Sculp." After Ferguson's death, in 1776, this Dial, among other things, came into the hands of Ferguson's youngest son, John, who, early in the present century, presented it to his relative, the late Miss Wilson, of Keith, who, in the year 1842, kindly gifted it to us. This copy of the Dial in our possession is perhaps now the only one in existence.

99 Ferguson's parents were dead before the beginning of the year 1743. Their ages at the time of their death cannot now be ascertained; but a traditionary account makes them "to be at least 70: "-it follows that they were born somewhere between the years 1670 and 1673.

ance; 100 he also finished, in pen and ink, a beautiful diagram of the solar system, and several mechanical drawings, maps, &c.

After having got in his few outstanding debts arising from his business as a limner, and the sums due to him on sales of his Rotula, he found, on balancing his little accounts, that he was in much better pecuniary circumstances than he had ever been, which was principally owing to the sums he had received from sales of the Rotula; and with the expectation that the Rotula would still continue to sell well, especially in London, he would leave Edinburgh in good spirits.

According to memoranda in our possession, Ferguson and his wife took their departure from Leith (the seaport of Edinburgh) 101 in a smack, for London, on Saturday, 21st May, 1743, having on board, as luggage, a chest, and a few boxes, containing their little wardrobe, the orrery with ivory wheel-work, just alluded to, and a large collection of Astronomical and Geographical Diagrams, Maps, Mechanical Plans, Rotulas, and CardDials. The sailing distance between Leith and London is about 500 miles. After a somewhat tedious voyage of seven days, they arrived safe in London, on Friday, May 27th.102 As Ferguson, on arriving in London, makes a new start in life, we may note that his age was then 33, that of his wife 23, and that they had been married four years (without family.)

FERGUSON IN LONDON.-Shortly after his arrival in London, Ferguson went to the Right Honourable Sir Stephen Poyntz, at St. James's, and delivered into his hands the "letter of recommendation" he had received for him, from Mr. Baron Edlin, at Edinburgh.103 Sir Stephen received him with the greatest

100 As mentioned in note 70, this small elegant orrery is still to be seen at Sandon Hall, Staffordshire, but now damaged by the fire which destroyed Sandon Hall, on June 6th, 1848.

101 LEITH is situated on the Firth of Forth, at the distance of nearly 2 miles NNE of Edinburgh. In Ferguson's day it was a very small place. At the present time, it is a large and flourishing sea-port, with a population of about 30,000.

102 During last century a passage between Leith and London was a very tedious affair, the Leith smacks, though built with a view to despatch, having, in some extreme cases, occupied about three weeks in sailing from Leith to London when southerly gales prevailed. Indeed, the voyage was considered by landsmen an event, and so hazardous as to suggest to prudent travellers the propriety of making their wills before it was undertaken. The particulars as to date of Ferguson and his wife's departure from Leith, luggage, &c., were communicated to us in 1831 by his youngest son, John Ferguson, Esq., Edinburgh.

103 We have not been able to ascertain whether or not the Right Honourable Stephen Poyntz was a Knight or Baronet in 1743, at the period of Ferguson's first visit; but in recording his death, the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xx. p. 570, says

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kindness. It was fortunate for Ferguson that, on his arrival in London, he had been introduced to so good a man. Baron Edlin's letter, as a matter of course, would refer Sir Stephen to the Astronomical Rotula, and the Card-Dial, then recently published by Ferguson at Edinburgh, as also to his elegant little Orrery with ivory wheels, then lately made by him; all which would indicate a mind strongly inclined to astronomical pursuits. A conversation would ensue as to his prospects, and how they could be promoted. Ferguson would mention to Sir Stephen that he had followed his self-taught business of limning for the last ten years, that he had got tired of it, and had a strong wish to be employed in some vocation connected with his favourite sciences of Astronomy and Geography, such as that of a public lecturer on Astronomy, and private teacher of Geography and the Use of the Globes. In such professions, there were already in London by far too many-the supply greatly exceeded the demand; and consequently, such gave little promise of being successful. 104 Sir Stephen being well aware of this, would suggest to Ferguson a situation in which he could teach the sciences of Astronomy and Geography, and thus in receipt of a fixed salary, and where his mind would be set at rest regarding the future. On talking over such matters, mathematics would be alluded to, when Ferguson would have to admit that he had never studied this important branch. This would tend to disconcert Sir Stephen, because mathematics being the basis on which those sciences rested, it would be necessary for Ferguson at once to learn it, as, without a competent knowledge of the mathematics, a situation in no scientific academy would be open to him. Sir Stephen would probably say so to Ferguson at parting; and also, that he would think the matter over, and do what he could to get over this difficulty.

Sir Stephen accordingly made immediate inquiries regarding mathematical tutors, and was not long in finding out an academy which would soon be in want of a mathematical master, and secur

"The Right Honourable Sir Stephen Poyntz, formerly preceptor to the Duke of Cumberland, and a Privy Counsellor, died on December 17th, 1750."

104 Even down to 1758, London appears to have been well supplied with professors of such branches. In a letter written by Ferguson to the Rev. Alexander Irvine, one of the ministers of Elgin, in the north of Scotland, and of date, London, 17th January, 1758, he informs his reverend friend that "as to astronomy, there are at present more than double the number that might serve the place, people's taste lying but very little in that way." (See Letter by Ferguson, under date 1758.)