238 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
not subscribe to that opinion ; for even when in his more devoted hours at the
shrine of Bacchus, he preserved a modesty and gentleness of manners, exhibited
by few of his age, sprightly humour, and unpatronised situation."
Of the intimacy betwixt the poet and his biographer, the following anecdote
affords a characteristic instance. Mr. Sommers, alluding to his shop in the
Parliament Square, states that he was frequently visited by the poet, when
passing to or from the Comniissary Office :-" In one of those visits I happened
to be absent ; he found, however, my shopboy Robert Aikman (a great favourite
of Fergusson), then engaged in copying from a collection of manuscript hymns
one on the Creation, given to him by a friend of the author, in order to improve
his hand in writing. Fergusson looked at the hymn, and supposing that I had
given it to the boy, not merely to transcribe, but to learn its serious contents,
took the pen out of his hand, and upon a small slip of paper wrote the following
lines : -
' Tom Sommers is a gloomy man,
His mind is dark within ;
0 holy - ! glaze his soul,
That light may enter in.'
He then desired the boy to give his compliments to me, delivered to him the
slip of paper, and retired."
Another circumstance relative to the only portrait known to have been taken
of the poet, is too interesting to be omitted. Speaking of Ruiaciman, the painter,
Sommers says-" That artist was at this time painting, in his own house in the
Pleasance, a picture on a half-length cloth of the Prodigal Son, in which his
fancy and pencil had introduced every necessary object and circumstance suggested
by the sacred passage. I was
much pleased with the composition, colouring, and admirable effect of the piece,
at least what was done of it; but expressed my surprise at observing a large
space in the centre, exhibiting nothing but chalk outlines of a human figure.
He informed me that he had reserved that space for the Prodigal, but could
not find a young man whose personal form and expressive features were such
as he could approve of, and commit to the canvas. Robert Fergusson's face
and figure instantly occurred to me ; not from an idea that Fergusson's real
character was that of the Prodigal; by no means-but on account of his
sprightly humour, personal appearance, and striking features. I asked Mr.
Runciman if he knew the poet? He answered in the negative, but that he
had often read and admired the poems. That evening at five I appointed to
meet with him and the poet in a tavern, Parliament Close. We did so, and
I introduced him. The painter was much pleased, both with his figure and
conversation. I intimated to Ferpsson the nature of the business on which
we met. He agreed to sit next forenoon.. I accompanied him for that purpose;
and in a few days the picture strikingly exhibited the bard in the character of a
prodigal, sitting on a grassy bank, surrounded by swine, some of which were
sleeping, and others feeding ; his right leg over his left knee ; eyes uplifted ;
At his own desire I called to see it.
