Ferguson, Adam 1723-1816
Archival location guide — where this economist’s surviving papers are held, their notable correspondents, and key published sources.
Born 1723 · died 1816
Adam Ferguson, also known as Ferguson of Raith, was a Scottish philosopher and historian of the Scottish Enlightenment.
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32 essays on philosophical topics with a few fragments of notes. Three volumes of lectures on pneumatics and moral philosophy (mainly 1776-1785). A copy of the Proceedings of the British Commissioners at Philadelphia, 1778-1779, partly in Ferguson's hand.
Edinburgh UL
Many single letters by Ferguson to various correspondents are in collections at the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh UL, Glasgow UL
Correspondents
ALEXANDER CARLYLE, 17 letters, 1775-1802. Edinburgh UL
ALEXANDER CARLYLE, copies of letters, and other material, 1775-1800.
National Library of Scotland (NLS), Lee papers.
HENRY DUNDAS, 1st Viscount Melville, two letters, 1780 and 1810.
Melville Castle Muniments, Scottish RO
SIR JOHN MACPHERSON, 72 letters, 1773-1808. Edinburgh UL
CHRISTOPHER WYVILL, one or two letters, 1782. Wyvill papers, North Riding RO
Printed Material
ADAM FERGUSON, Saggio sulla Storia della Societa Civile, ed. Pasquale Salvucci ( Florence, 1973).
Includes an excellent bibliography and list of manuscripts.
The Correspondence of Adam Ferguson , ed. Vincenzo Merolle (1995)
DAVID KETTLER, The Social and Political Thought of Adam Ferguson (Columbus, Ohio, 1965).
JOHN SMALL, Biographical Sketch of Adam Ferguson ( Edinburgh, 1864).
New Palgrave ; ODNB; ESS vi 184; IESS v 369.
Portraits: BL(P); NPG(A).