Ferguson, Dr Adam (1723 — 1816)

His house was in a street called the Sheens, or Sciennes (which derived its name from its nearness to the ruins of an ancient monastery dedicated to St Catherine of Sienna), and was the meeting place of the Edinburgh literati. Sir Walter Scott described Dr Ferguson's house in Edinburgh as: 'a general point of reunion among his friends, particularly of a Sunday, where there generally met, at a hospitable dinner party, the most distinguished literati of the old time who still remained, with such young persons as were thought worthy to approach their circle, and listen to their conversation'.

One 'such young person' was Scott himself, who, as a lad of 16, was keenly eager to meet Burns. This he did (the only recorded meeting) at Adam Ferguson's house. Burns had been very much affected by a picture on the wall of a dead soldier, with his widow, child and dog beside him in the snow. Underneath, was a verse. Burns turned to the assembled distinguished company, and asked if anyone knew the author. No one did, until the young Scott remarked: 'They're written by one Langhorne.' Whereupon Burns said Scott, in a letter to Lockhart in 1827, 'rewarded me with a look and a word, which, though in mere civility, I then received, and still recollect, with great pleasure.'