He was a man of finely strung nerves, and could be combative in defence of his opinions, but of a tolerant and chivalrous nature. His style is admirably clear and direct. He was a keen metaphysician, and comparatively indifferent to ethical and other applications of his doctrine. His whole aim was to establish his theory of knowing and being. He says that his ‘philosophy is Scottish to the very core.’ He was well acquainted with Spinoza, Kant, and the later German philosophy, and greatly admired Hegel; but he differed radically from the applications made by his friend Sir William Hamilton. He was profoundly influenced by Berkeley, and his theory seems to be a development of Berkeley in the light of later discussions. In a letter to De Quincey (Remains, i. 481–5) he sums up his teaching by saying that the ‘only knowable’ is object plus subject; that ‘the mind by its very law and nature must know the thing … along with itself knowing it;’ that our ignorance of ‘matter per se’ does not represent a limitation, but a perfection of our cognitive faculties; and that the only knowable is either that which we know or ‘object plus subject,’ or that which we are ignorant of, which must again be ‘object plus subject.’ Though he has had few followers, he certainly showed remarkable vigour and independence of thought.
His ‘Lectures on Greek Philosophy and other Philosophical Remains,’ in 2 vols., were edited in 1866 by his son-in-law, Sir Alexander Grant, and Professor Lushington. The second volume contains philosophical papers from ‘Blackwood's Magazine.’ His philosophical works, in 3 vols., including the above, were published in 1875. Ferrier contributed some lives to the ‘Imperial Dictionary of Biography,’ some of which are used in the ‘Remains.’
[Life prefixed to Lectures, &c., as above. A good description by Mr. Skelton is in Fraser's Magazine for July 1864.]
FERRIER, SUSAN EDMONSTONE (1782–1854), novelist, born at Edinburgh 7 Sept. 1782, was the youngest of ten children (six sons and four daughters) of James Ferrier, writer to the signet, by his wife, Helen (Coutts), daughter of a farmer in Kincardineshire. James Ferrier (b. 1744) managed various great estates, especially those of the Argyll family. He became a friend of John, fifth duke of Argyll, through whose influence he was appointed a principal clerk of session. Scott was one of his colleagues in this office, and he knew all the leaders of the literary society of Edinburgh. His daughter came to know the same circle as she grew up, and frequent visits with her father to Inverary Castle enabled her to see something of the fashionable world. She was a good French scholar, and her favourite French author was La Bruyère. She undertook a novel, ultimately called ‘Marriage,’ in co-operation with her friend Miss Clavering, a niece of the Duke of Argyll, whom she had met at Inverary. Miss Clavering only contributed a few pages (the ‘History of Mrs. Douglas’) to the story, which was written as early as 1810, and read with admiration by many friends. Miss Ferrier was not persuaded to publish it until 1818, nor would she then give her name. Blackwood paid her 150l. for it. The appreciation of her private audience was no doubt quickened by the portraits of known persons. Lady MacLaughlan represents in dress Mrs. Seymour Damer [q. v.], and in manners Lady Frederick Campbell, widow of the Lord Ferrers who was hanged in 1760. Mrs. Marslake was a Mrs. Davidson, sister of the notorious Lord Braxfield. The three spinster aunts were the Misses Edmonstone, and Mrs. Fox was Mary, lady Clerk, a well-known Edinburgh character. The novel succeeded, and was translated into French. Miss Ferrier's next story, ‘The Inheritance,’ appeared in 1824. Blackwood, encouraged no doubt by the success of ‘Marriage,’ gave her 1,000l. ‘Uncle Adam’ in this novel represents her father. The originals of characters are doubtful. The last novel, ‘Destiny,’ appeared in 1831. It was dedicated to Scott, who recommended it to Cadell, and in consequence of his judicious bargaining Miss Ferrier received 1,700l.
Miss Ferrier's mother died in 1797. Her three sisters married, and she kept house for her father, who died in January 1829. She led a quiet life between Morningside House and Edinburgh, with occasional visits to her sisters. She visited Scott at Ashestiel in 1811 and at Abbotsford in 1829 and 1831. Lockhart describes the delicacy with which she helped him over the gaps in talk caused by his failing memory, without apparent consciousness of the cause. A description by herself of these visits appeared in the ‘Temple Bar Magazine’ for February 1874, and is republished in her ‘Works’ (1881, i. 39–51). Brougham is said to have been an ‘old schoolfellow,’ and received her courteously when he made a tour in Scotland as lord chancellor in 1834. Among other admirers were Joanna Baillie, Sydney Smith, Macaulay, and Sir James Mackintosh. Leyden addressed verses to her in her early life, and Curran, known to her at the same period, civilly apologised for the backwardness of his muse on a similar occasion. She remarks that ‘none but a pen of
