Adam Ferguson's Later Writings

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Uncovers new material from one of the major figures of the Scottish Enlightenment As scholarly interest in the Scottish Enlightenment continues to grow, so too does attention to the moral philosopher and historian Adam Ferguson (1723-1816). Ferguson has been one of the principal beneficiaries of the refocus of academic attention beyond the towering figures of David Hume (1711-1776) and Adam Smith (1723-1790) and towards their larger intellectual network. The plethora of recent studies, as well as the publication of Ferguson's unpublished manuscripts and his apparent extant correspondence, testifies to the increasing recognition of his importance to this era in Scotland. This volume contains thirty-six previously unpublished letters and one new essay on the French Revolution written by Ferguson. Penned during the last decades of his life, they were all addressed to his close friend Sir John Macpherson (1745-1821). The letters and essay concern major topics such as the context of the European Enlightenment, Empire, and the French Revolution, as well as various illuminating details about Ferguson's ideas (philosophical, historical, economic, and political) and his intellectual milieu from 1784 to 1815. The rediscovery of these writings marks a significant development in Ferguson studies and in the historiography of the late Scottish Enlightenment. This book presents the notable findings from these materials and provides a critical apparatus to assist specialists and students alike in understanding this key Enlightenment thinker. Key features and benefits: - Contextualises the thirty-six new letters and the new essay within Ferguson's life and oeuvre - Includes modern editions of further writings by Ferguson and helps to fill in gaps in his biography - Focuses on various anecdotes by and new information about the Moderate Literati of the Scottish Enlightenment - Presents new angles on crucial areas of study including the East India Company, the Regency Crisis, Scottish reactions to the French Revolution, and contemporary perceptions of Adam Smith's Political Economy - Reveals the extent of political influence that the Moderates of the Scottish Enlightenment, such as Ferguson, Hugh Blair (1718-1800) and Alexander Carlyle (1722-1805), attempted to exert on British foreign policy in the 1790s Ian Stewart is Associate Lecturer in European Intellectual History at University College London. Max Skjönsberg is an Assistant Professor of Humanities in the Hamilton Center at the University of Florida.