This edition, first published in 2000 to mark the 250th anniversary of Fergusson's birth, and revised in 2007, contains all his poems in Scots, a selection of poems in English, an introductory essay, revised orthography, substantial footnotes, eight illustrations and a comprehensive glossary. Acknowledged as a crucial influence on Burns, Robert Fergusson was a remarkable poet in his own right. All his work was produced during a few brief years, delighting readers with its vigour and power. Although he wrote much verse in the then fashionable style of Augustan English, it is his Scots verse which, in its great warmth, humanity, satire, and hilarious comedy, is his enduring legacy. His work covers the whole gamut of human emotions and experience and his subject matter ranges from drunken encounters with the notorious City Guard to quieter reflections on pastoral themes. Fergusson died in 1774 at the age of only 24.
