But softer notes-hark! hark again, The voice that charm'd the festive board, Where is that wit, in other days, That flash'd around the social board, That gilded with its meteor blaze, The scenes thy better sense abhorr'd? Where are the smiles thou wont to wear? Now the sole language of those eyes. Ah! in that sad and gloomy hour, Where cheering as the rays of Heaven, Horror's black clouds might far have driven, Friendship! sweet tie among the good, And friendship blooms an empty name. They left thee, Fergusson, to want,-disease; The circumstances attending Fergusson's confinement, are so briefly and so interestingly stated by Mr Irving and Mr Sommers, that I cannot present them to the reader more completely, than by transcribing a few passages of their respective memoirs. During the first night of his confine"ment (says Mr Sommers), he slept none; "and when the keeper visited him in the morning, he found him walking along the stone floor of his cell, with his arms fold"ed, and in sullen sadness, uttering not a "word. After some minutes silence, he clapped his right hand on his forehead, and complained much of pain. He asked the keeper, who brought him there? He answered, Friends. Yes, friends, indeed, replied Robert, they think I am too wicked to live, "but you will soon see me a shining and a burn ing light. You have been so already, ob *These lines were written on a perusal of the present sketch, and sent with the manuscript to the writer, by a much valued friend, who has given his consent to the publication of them. "served the keeper*. You mistake me, said "the Poet: I mean you shall see and hear of me as a bright minister of the gospel!" 66 Mr Irving tells us, that "when he was af"terwards visited by his mother and elder sis 66 ter, his phrensy had almost entirely subsided. "He had at first imagined himself a king or "some other great personage; and adorned "his head with a crown of straw, which he plaited very neatly with his own hands. The "delusion, however, was now vanished: upon "their entering, they found him lying in his 66 cell, to appearance calm and collected. He "told them he was sensible of their kindness, " and hoped he should soon be in a condition "to receive their visits. He also recalled to their memory the presentiment which he "had so often expressed, of his being at length "overwhelmed by this most dreadful of all " calamities ; but endeavoured to comfort "them with assurances of his being humanely "treated in the asylum. He entreated his "sister to bring her work, and frequently sit "by him, in order to dispel the gloom that "overcast his mind. To all this they could 66 only answer with their sighs and tears."When the keeper entered, and informed them that it was time to depart, he with * Alluding to his Poems. great earnestness conjured them to remain "with him a little longer: but with this request it was not in their power to comply. From his behaviour during this interview, "his mother was led to entertain hopes of his speedy recovery." Day after day, I inquired for him (says Mr Sommers) of his mother and younger "sister, but never had resolution to pay him a personal visit. After, however, nearly two "months had elapsed, I was surprised at hear ing of his being still in his captive state, and "therefore was determined to give him a call, "but found that it was necessary to obtain, "for that purpose, an order in writing from the sitting magistrate. In my way to the "Council Chamber, to procure the order, I met "with Dr John Aitken, late physician here; "I told him where I was going, and for what purpose. He expressed a wish to accompany me, as he knew the Poet well. Both our names were inserted in the Magistrate's mandate of admission, with a promise, on the part of the Doctor, to report to the Magistrate the state of the Poet. We got "immediate access to the cell, and found Ro bert lying with his clothes on, stretched up"on a bed of loose uncovered straw. The moment he heard my voice, he instantly a rose, got me in his arms, and wept. The "Doctor felt his pulse, and declared it to be "favourable. I asked the keeper (whom I 66 formerly knew as a gardener) to allow him "to accompany us into an adjoining back court, by way of taking the air. He con"sented. Robert took hold of me by the arm, placing me on his right, and the Doc"tor on his left, and in this form we walked “backward and forward along the court, con 66 versing for nearly an hour; in the course of "which, many questions were asked at him "both by the Doctor and myself, to which "he returned most satisfactory answers ; but "seemed very anxious to obtain his liberty. Having passed about two hours with him "on this visit, we found it necessary to take our leave, the Doctor assuring him, that he "would soon be restored to his friends, and " that I would visit him again in a day or two. "He calmly, and without a murmur, walked "with us to the cell, and upon parting, re"minded the Doctor of his promise, to get him soon at liberty, and of mine, to see him next 66 day. Neither of us, however, had an opportunity of accomplishing our promise; for in "a few days thereafter, I received an intima"tion from the keeper, that Robert Fergusson "had breathed his last," &c. |