when necessary, in order to prevent the recurrence of the inequalities.

The dissolution of Parliament, consequent on the rejection of Gladstone's Home Rule measure, brought on the General Election, in the month of March. I was surprised by an invitation from the Radicals of Sheffield to contest one of the divisions of the city. Whether I had any chance of being returned, I have no means of knowing; but I had no alternative save to decline the honour of a seat in the House of Commons.

The correspondence was as follows:

"DEAR SIR,

"62 DEVISION STREET,
"SHEFFIELD, 2nd March, 1885.

"A meeting of Radicals was held to-night in Sheffield to consider the selection of a Radical candidate for Sheffield-or rather one of its divisions. The following resolution was moved and unanimously carried: "That Prof. Bain of Aberdeen University be invited to contest one of the divisions of Sheffield at the general election'.

"I have great pleasure in forwarding you the resolution, and venture to hope for a favourable reply.

"I may state that your name has been more than once mentioned in this connection, and that the favourable reception with which it has been met, gives us every reason to believe that your candidature would be successful.

"I venture to remain, Dear Sir,

"Yours most sincerely,

"WALLACE KELSON,"

'Sec. pro tem.".

INVITATION FROM THE RADICALS OF SHEFFIELD.

"ABERDEEN, 5th March, 1885.

377

"I received your letter of the 2nd, in which you convey to me the invitation of the Radicals of Sheffield, to become a candidate for one of the divisions of the city at the general election.

"I fully appreciate the compliment of being singled out as a worthy Parliamentary representative of your city in the new era.

"If I feel compelled to decline the honour, it is not from natural distaste to the work of the House of Commons, nor from difficulties as to party allegiance. The unfortunate and decisive circumstance is, that I have reached an age when most men think of retiring from Parliament; while not possessing exceptional buoyancy for my years, but rather the reverse. It seems to me, therefore, that I am not in a condition, either to do credit to myself, or to fulfil your reasonable expectations, in becoming one of your members.

"With much regret at disappointing your wishes so cordially expressed,

"RESPECTED SIR,

"I am, Dear Sir,
"Yours faithfully,

"A. BAIN."

"39 FRANKLEN STREET,

"SHEFFIELD, 6th March.

"I have received yours of the 5th with considerable regret. Your answer is of course decisive, and my duty is simply to thank you for your kind reply.

"Permit me, however, to express the sincere hope that there yet lie before you many years of usefulness and joy.

"I am,

"Most sincerely yours,

"Prof. BAIN, LL.D."

"WALLACE KELSON.

The month of April and beginning of May was devoted to a tour in Germany, for the purpose of visiting the more important University seats. Making our way for Dresden-by Cologne, Hanover, and Magdeburg-we spent six days there, and saw James Mill's grand-daughter, a young widow with a grown-up family.

At Leipzig, I called on Professor Wundt, and went through his psycho-physical laboratory. A young American student, Cattell, was very helpful as an interpreter; Wundt himself not being able to speak or understand English.

The next place visited was Jena. I saw only one of the two philosophy professors, but paid a noteworthy visit to Haeckel at his museum. He had recently returned from a tour in Ceylon, where he had gathered a number of rare and important animals that seemed to serve as missing links in the evolution of the higher species. A day at Weimar enabled us to see the house of Goethe, which, however, had long been divided into two; while the half occupied by Goethe's heirs bore the executry seal, owing to the recent death of the occupant, and could not be entered. The house of Schiller, on the opposite side of the way, was open to the public.

Our final and most important move was to Berlin.

We called at once on Helmholtz. Madame

VISIT TO GERMAN UNIVERSITIES.

379

Helmholtz, one of the two energetic daughters of Robert von Mohl of Heidelberg, that I had met at the house of their uncle in Paris, arranged a dinner party for next day, which included Zeller, Virchow, and Lazarus.

Gizycki, and
We spent a

I called upon Ebinghaus and found both extremely interesting. day at Potsdam, with the family of Du Bois Raymond. Both he and Helmholtz took me round their laboratories. I also met Hoffmann, with whom I had been acquainted in London.

We returned to London, by Cologne and Brussels, on the 13th of May, and there found some College business with reference to new buildings. A deputation had been arranged to see Lord Rosebery at the Board of Works, and to solicit a Government Grant for a grand extension of Marischal College. As Rector, I had, as a matter of course, to accompany the deputation ; and I remained in London till the end of June, returning to Aberdeen in July.

In September, took place the meeting of the British Association at Aberdeen, for which I had to prepare a paper on Anthropology-to be read at that section, under the presidency of Francis Galton. The paper appeared in full in the Transactions of the Anthropological Society, of which I was for a short time a member.

Session 1885-86, and Recess following.

The Universities Bill brought into this year's Parliament was again considered and found objectionable by the Court, as well as by the General Council.

Principal Pirie died on 3rd of November (1885).

In the beginning of December, I had to go to Manchester to take the chair at the dinner of the Aberdeen University Club for Lancashire. Professor Adamson was present as a guest of the club. In the same month, it fell to me to open a University bazaar, which took place in Aberdeen on the 18th and 19th December, with a view to raising funds for students' recreation grounds.

Thinking to escape some of the severity of our own climate in mid-winter, we went to Bath for several weeks in January and February, 1886; I being hard at work on the first part of the Rhetoric, which occupied the summer and autumn as well, and was sent to press and brought out next January.

On the 12th March, a meeting was held for the formal opening of the Lending Department of the Public Library, Provost Matthews presiding. Speeches were delivered by the Provost, Baillie Walker, Mr. A. O. Gill, and myself.

We stayed in London from the middle of May