CHAPTER VII.

TEN YEARS OF RETIREMENT-1880-1890.

Session 1880-81, and Recess following.

(June, 1880, to September, 1881.)

WHILE I was in London in the summer, a meeting of the Education Society took place (in June), at which I gave an address in reply to the reported criticisms of the Society upon the Education volume. The moot points where strong opinions were entertained had to be reconsidered and to some extent argued; yet, there was no real novelty, either in the views or in the handling, as compared with the volume itself. On subsequent occasions, expositions were given upon the more abstruse and burning topics; while, on the teaching of English in particular, the whole subject was exhausted in the volume brought out in 1888. One special topic was re-stated and discussed in the present address, -namely, the exposition of a double subject.

The University Assessorship fell vacant this year, and I was urged, mainly by Dr. Struthers, to become a candidate; it being no wish of mine to have

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any more official University work. It was very

much against my inclination that I canvassed a few friends for votes; but, having once accepted, I considered this to be a duty to my supporters. The proceedings connected with the election are all in print and speak for themselves. The result of the poll was declared on the 4th of November. Thereupon, a party of students formed the resolution to nominate me as next Rector. On the day following the 5th-Lord Rosebery gave his address; and the promoters of my candidature meant to make use of the opportunity for a demonstration. This, however, I thought it proper to obviate by purposely absenting myself on the occasion.

Ostensibly, the battle for the Assessorship was fought on the Classical question; and Professor Robertson Smith, then in Aberdeen, took an active part in urging this consideration. It was deemed fitting that a reply to his strictures should be circulated among the members of Council; and, as he was charged by me with garbling my statements, he thought it necessary to print a rejoinder, which was also circulated, and compelled a further statement on my part.

My principal occupation now was the preparation of the James Mill Biography, a task involving a considerable amount of research in various lines. The relations with Jeremy Bentham had to be

explored from Bentham's writings, which were extensively perused for the purpose. I obtained the assistance of Mr. A. F. Murison in a thorough search at the British Museum, chiefly in the collection of Francis Place's MS., recently acquired by the Museum. A further research had reference to the history of reform in England,-the principal contributors to the movement prior to the Reform Bill. For this also the Museum had to be resorted to.

I myself, in company with Minto, had previously examined the numbers of the St. James's Chronicle, which James Mill edited for a time. These researches were continued into the following year.

The same year I had occasion to prepare a biographical notice of my old friend John Shier, -which was read to the Philosophical Society in December, and afterwards printed in the volume of Transactions.

The winter of 1880-81 was memorable for its severity. The fall of snow in December and in January resulted in an unusual amount of snowdrifts, both in the streets and at every point in the suburban access; while the means of clearance could hardly be said to exist. Such was

the state of things down to the end of the month of March.

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On the 2nd of April (1881), we left for Glasgow, and stayed two nights with Professor Veitch, including the Census Sunday. We proceeded thence to the Manse of Wishaw, and spent two days with my old pupil and assistant, the Rev. Alexander Harper. Having had an invitation from Alfred Sidgwick to visit his father and mother at Skipton, we made that our next stage on the way south. I had various walks and talks with him; he being anxious to get my advice as to his logical studies. Our final destination was Bath, where we obtained lodgings in Brick Street for the next three weeks. of the Hermitage School, Bath, were always ready to give us hospitality, and otherwise facilitate our

movements.

Mr. and Mrs. Webster,

Mr. Murison came down to Bath on the 12th of April, to discuss the James Mill researches. On his leaving for London, he encountered, on the boards, an announcement of the death of Disraeli. I also saw Roebuck's widow during this visit, and got from her the very rare volume of Roebuck's pamphlets for 1835, which made an important epoch in the political movement of the time, and had embodied several of James Mill's own political articles.

From Bath, I made an excursion to Ford Abbey. This enabled me completely to realize