Dr Andrew Duncan in 1797

This sketch shows Dr. Duncan in later life, though his pose and modern dress give him a youthful air, and he is depicted with the umbrella he was known always to carry. In his later years he continued to serve the public energetically, proposing the Morningside Lunatic Asylum in 1807 and helping to bring it to completion despite early difficulties, for which he was awarded the freedom of the city. His wide interests extended to horticulture, leading to the founding of the Caledonian Horticultural Society in 1809, and to social, literary, and poetic pursuits. Well known for his lifelong May Day walks to Arthur’s Seat, which he celebrated in verse even into his eighties, he remained active and intellectually engaged until his death in 1828. He left a large family, including his son Andrew Duncan junior, who went on to become a distinguished professor at the University of Edinburgh.