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begun, chiefly in the way of securing access to the Lord Advocate. In point of fact, Glennie died on 9th of November, after the session was commenced. He had secured, on Dr. Robertson's recommendation, a young man from the South to act as his substitute.

Winter Session, 1845-46.

My

I brought with me to Glasgow an introduction from John Mill to Professor Nichol, who gave me very valuable assistance in connexion with engagements for popular lecturing. most lucrative engagement was at the Mechanics' Institution, which generally adopted the Andersonian professor for its popular evening course of Natural Philosophy. Apart from the Science courses, I planned a series of lectures on physical and political geography, which, at Nichol's instigation, Charles Mackay, the editor of the Courier, printed in his paper with a strong recommendation written by Nichol himself. One of the Institutions, namely, the Anderston Mechanics, engaged me for this course. I believe I was asked to give it, although not with the same fulness, in some other institution; while several accepted short courses of Mechanics illustrated with some portable models that I could take along with me.

One such was delivered at Coatbridge, in the neighbourhood of Gartsherrie Iron Works, in which I was received for the night, after each lecture.

Among the incidents of the winter was an attempt by Professor Nichol to get me appointed substitute for the Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University, rendered vacant by the appointment to King's College, Aberdeen, of David Thomson. This would probably have been an impracticable office to be held along with other engagements. I was, however, saved from it by the jealousy of James Thomson, the mathematical professor, who was looking forward to having his son appointed as soon as the Chair became vacant, and was consequently in dread of rivalry, even of the most improbable candidates.

Dr. Pirie gave in his application for Glennie's Chair; and Lord James Hay of Seaton, who had married the heiress of that property, with whom Pirie had some distant relationship, applied to the County member, Captain Gordon, to support him at headquarters. Dr. Cruickshank took me up with all his might; and, as he was a strong Conservative in politics, his recommendation was pretty fairly on a level with Dr. Pirie's. The patronage lay, of course, with the Home Secretary, then Sir James Graham, coupled with the Lord Advocate, Duncan M'Neil. By a curious coincidence, M'Neil's brother,

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On

Sir John M'Neil, had long been in the East India Company's service in the East, and was an intimate friend of James Mill and his son John Stuart Mill. John Mill availed himself of this connexion by writing on my behalf to Sir John M'Neil, who forwarded the recommendation to his brother, with whom I have reason to believe it had some weight. Being in Glasgow at the time, I went through to Edinburgh, carrying an introduction from Dr. Cruickshank to Dr. Robertson. calling on him, however, I found what Dr. Cruickshank did not seem to be aware of,-namely, the compact between Robertson and Pirie. Robertson by his office in the Bible Board had occasion to meet the Lord Advocate in an official way, and was thus able to ply him with recommendation of Pirie. He could not, however, entirely shelve Dr. Cruickshank's support of my application, and promised to say something about me, which at all events would not injure my cause. He also gave a significant hint, or, rather stated pretty broadly, that, if I wished to aspire to a Moral Philosophy Chair in Scotland, I should become a licentiate of the Church, as there would be the greatest jealousy on the part of the Church of an appointment being given to any one not so qualified. With that I left him, knowing well what his line of action would be. As already stated, Dr. Glennie's death

took place on the 9th of November, and the contest for the Chair began in earnest.

I had next an interview with the Lord Advocate. He asked me particularly as to the manner of my conducting the Moral Philosophy class. I explained my difficulties, and how I overcame them. It might have been that he knew from some source or other of my deviating from Glennie's verbatim lectures, or he may have wished to know what independent resources I possessed in the Moral Philosophy department. He ended by telling me that a relative of his had forwarded a recommendation on my behalf, and that he was giving it all due consideration. There the matter ended for the time. There was an indefinite pause in making the appointment. It was said that Dr. Pirie's claims and mine were so balanced that to decide for either would give offence to the political adherents of the other. It was further reported that Graham inclined to Dr. Pirie, and the Lord Advocate to me. In point of fact, Pirie himself, some time before the decision, had declared that he had received from the Lord Advocate directly an assurance that he was to receive the appointment. During the state of suspense, Sir Robert Peel resigned upon the Corn Laws, as is well known. The Home Secretary seemed to have no desire to secure the patronage under the circumstances, and

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left it undecided. Lord John Russell, being sent for, attempted to form a Government, but was thwarted by the obstinacy of Lord Grey, who would not work with Lord Palmerston. Had a Liberal Government been formed, I had almost the certainty of getting the appointment: Dr. Pirie said as much to Dr. Cruickshank. The Tories having regained office, the situation was the same as before; and no movement was made in the way of an appointment for some time longer. In this predicament, it occurred to a teacher in the Madras School of St. Andrews, William Martin, who had some reputation in Mental Philosophy, and who had assisted Dr. Cook, professor of Moral Philosophy in St. Andrews, when his health gave way,—to make an application to the Lord Advocate for the Aberdeen Chair. On interviewing the Lord Advocate for that purpose, in Edinburgh, he was told to bring testimonials from Professors Spalding and Ferrier, which, accordingly, he obtained. Spalding, in giving his testimonial, inserted in it words to the effect that what he said for Martin was not to be in any way prejudicial to my claims, which he considered very strong. All this, however, did not matter; for it was the Government's way out of the difficulty to choose a third person with decent pretensions. Sir James Graham wrote a sort of