John Ferguson Mc Lennan - Life

Life

He was born at Inverness, the son of John McLennan, an insurance agent of Inverness, and Jessie Ross, his wife. He was educated at Inverness and at King's College, Aberdeen, where he graduated M.A. in 1849. He then entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where in 1853 he obtained a Wrangler's place (first class) in the Mathematical Tripos. He left Cambridge without taking a degree there.

McLennan then spent two years in London writing for The Leader, edited by George Henry Lewes, and other periodicals. He may well have attended one of the Inns of Court. During this period he knew George Eliot and William Michael Rossetti, and dabbled in verse in the Pre-Raphaelite style.

On returning to Edinburgh he was called to the Scottish bar in January 1857. He became secretary to the Scottish Law Amendment Society, and took an active part in the agitation which led to the Court of Session Act of 1868. As a man of letters he worked with Alexander Smith.

In 1870 McLennan's first wife died, and he moved back to London. In 1871 he took the post of parliamentary draughtsman for Scotland.

He died of consumption on 14 June 1881 at Hayes Common, Kent.