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September 5 in Scottish History

In 1750 on this day the poet Robert Fergusson was born in the Canongate in Edinburgh. Fergusson's vivid poetic accounts of the life and characters of Edinburgh's old town, such as the remarkable long poem on Edinburgh "Auld Reekie" and "The Daft Days" brought him much fame. His first poems for The Weekly magazine were written in English, but his use of the vernacular of Scots, and did much to revive the language, and showed a vigour and assurance not seen since the Makars. His verse was to have influence on the national bard, Robert Burns, who wrote "my elder brother in misfortune, by far my elder brother in the muse". Fergusson suffered from ill health all his life, and died in 1774 in the Edinburgh Bedlam at the age of 24. Burns erected a memorial stone over his long-neglected grave in Canongate Kirkyard.

On this day in 1808 John Home, the Scottish playwright, historian and minister, died. Home outraged the Church when his verse tragedy "Douglas" enjoyed a successful run in Edinburgh after its first performance in 1757. The kirk authorities were outraged by Presbyterian minister excelling in the world of theatre, which they strongly disapproved of. The play transferred to Covent Garden to huge acclaim a year later, and Home resigned from the ministry.