Resources

Resources for a general audience, alongside for students and teachers at any level, will be updated on this page regularly – please keep checking back for more! If you think we’re missing anything, please get in touch via the website’s contact form.

Further reading

Podcasts & Audio

  • ‘Celebrating Robert Fergusson’ (Stories from Glasgow podcast, University of Glasgow), October 2024: Discover the Edinburgh poet who inspired Robert Burns, and whose impact extends well beyond the pages of his works to the city’s landscape, and even the treatment of brain injuries. As the 250th anniversary of Fergusson’s death approaches, Professor Rhona Brown and Dr Amy Wilcockson join the podcast to share their research, as well as insights into Fergusson’s life, works and legacy. Listen to learn more about Fergusson, and hear extracts of his work read by Billy Kay and James Robertson. (Length: 1 hour).
  • ‘The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talks To Rhona Brown’ (Scots Whay Hae!), October 2024: A key poet of the Scottish eighteenth century, Rhona Brown explains to Ali exactly who Robert Fergusson (1750-74) was and why he is so important to Scottish literature and culture more generally. She talks about his relationships to the better known Allan Ramsay and Robert Burns, how he was regarded in his too-short life time, his love of his home city of Edinburgh, and his sad demise. The two also discuss Fergusson’s life and work, his legacy, his use of Scots, the challenges faced in collecting the works, rewriting past wrongs, and why this is a poet still relevant today. Rhona also sets out the various events and exhibitions which are happening to commemorate the 250th anniversary of his death, and celebrate his work. (Length: 44 minutes).
  • ‘The legacy of Robert Fergusson: with Robert Crawford’ (Lantern Scottish Poetry, Scottish Poetry Library), July 2024: 250 years since he died, Robert Fergusson is still revered and respected by the Scottish literary community. Exploring his life and work in more detail, Kathleen Jamie and Ally Heather are joined by another Robert – Robert Crawford – to learn more about his life, and untimely death. (Length: 48 minutes).
  • ‘Episode 4: James Robertson and Andrew Wasylyk’ (A Kick Up The Arts podcast), October 2024: We recorded this at the brilliant V&A Dundee – and our conversation roves across the wonder of Liz Lochhead, Michael Marra, Karine Polwart and Aidan Moffat – not to mention the unsung Scots poet and Burns influencer Robert Fergusson in a month that’ll pay tribute to him with events across the country – along with the distinctions between lyrics and poetry – and the fact that Andrew put the bins out before he came to see us. You can’t say we’re not keeping it real… (Length: 42 minutes).
  • ‘Episode 113’ (Scots Radio Podcast), September 2024: This episode we jine the fowk at the Scots Language Awards at Cumnock in East Ayrshire. An wir delighted tae welcome twa o the winners on the programme– writer Jim Mackintosh and Clare Yuille fae the Braw Clan Scots Theatre Company. An wi celebrate the 250th anniversary o Edinburgh poet, Robert Fergusson, wi his poems read bi Billy Kay an music fae 18th century Scotland. (Length: 1 hour 14 minutes).
  • ‘Auld Reikie’ (Daily Reckless): To commemorate the 250th anniversary of his death, here’s an album of Robert Fergusson’s epic poem reinvigorated in song by Tommy Mackay.

Video resources

  • Robert Fergusson | Poet, Prodigal Son, or Tavern Rat? Recording of lunchtime lecture with National Galleries, November 2024: This year marks the 250th anniversary of the death of poet Robert Fergusson. His portrait by Alexander Runciman is currently on display at the Portrait. Both were members of the Cape Club which brought together trades, advocates, poets, artists, musicians and actors in a near ‘bohemian’ atmosphere. Join Professor Rhona Brown, Professor of Scottish Textual Cultures at the University of Glasgow, and curator Liz Louis as they discuss the life, death and artistic networks of Edinburgh’s unofficial poet laureate. (Length: 1 hr 9 mins). 
  • ‘Robert Fergusson’ Social Media Livestream recording with The Real Mary King’s Close, September 2024: Dr Amy Wilcockson and Matt Brady join The Real Mary King’s Close to discuss Robert Fergusson’s life and legacies. (Length: 32 minutes).
  • Andrew Duncan and the Royal Edinburgh Hospital by David Purdie:
    When one of Scotland’s greatest Enlightenment poets, Robert Fergusson, died in Edinburgh’s Bedlam this began a chain reaction which led to the establishment of Edinburgh’s first public mental hospital. Professor David Purdie is a medical Professor Emitus and spent much of his career in academia and research focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of the brittle bone disease, Osteoporosis. In this short talk David discusses the eminent eighteenth century physician and President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Andrew Duncan and his role in the foundation of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. (Length: 2 minutes)
  • ‘The Poetry of Robert Fergusson’ lecture for ASLS, 2021: Dr Rhona Brown discusses Fergusson’s poetry in this video resource presented at the ASLS Schools Conference. This is an introductory lecture discussing Fergusson, his links to Robert Burns, and his poetry. (Length: 26 minutes).

Banner image: An Edinburgh Scent or Scotch Hartshorn. Print by Isaac Cruikshank. Published by S W Fores. Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum. © The Trustees of the British Museum, Creative Commons License (image cropped).