"This University might seem to have been deprived of its chief prop and stay by the Reformation: but it is not the course of reformation to sweep away the sciences-it only fixes them on a firmer foundation. The Reformation the emancipation of the human understanding, gave a new vigour to the University. Under the government of Melville, the able lawgiver of the Presbyterian Church, this University acquired a new impulse, which led it directly forward to that prosperity at which it was soon to arrive. In a brighter period, Dr. Gilbert Burnet, to whom England owes the history of her Reformation, and the exposition of her Creed, and to whom the liberties of England are deeply indebted, and whose language is elegant and his sentiments liberal, -he came from amongst you, and honoured the Divinity Chair of this University by his virtues and his genius. To me it seems fortunate that the sciences have not retired here, as elsewhere, to a hermitage, but have come and planted themselves in the heart of a great and populous city, which has risen to be the second in the island and the third in the empire, and in the very midst of this great city this University has been planted. It was owing to this that the two most important new sciences discovered in the eighteenth century-the sciences of chemistry and political economy-were both laid, at the same time, within these walls where I now address you. They are both of such a nature as to unite the active with the speculative duties of life. About the same time the discovery of the steam engine was made by Mr. Watt, a person connected with this University-one of the most important discoveries in modern times. This great increase of scientific knowledge was the result of the union of recluse speculation with the active business of life, and of the intimate connexion which Dr. Smith and Dr. Black maintained with the practical business of this great city. This shows the advantage of men of scientific skill mixing with the various individuals who exert themselves in perfecting the arts, compared with those who dose away life in dreams of science, without applying them to the practical benefit of mankind. Give ine leave to say, that, in other branches of science, this University has been not less distinguished than in these. I hold in my hand an old edition of Ptolemy, printed in 1530, in which is given a character of the various nations in the world. The character assigned to the Scots is, that they are 1st, prompt to revenge--2d, full of the pride of birth, so that they boast of royal descent, though in a state of beggary-and 3rd, they are much addicted to logical and metaphysical subtleties. Now, happily, the reign of law and regulated government had restrained this love of revenge within reasonable bounds; and the progress of commerce and the arts had introduced a feeling of equality among persons of birth and merit. But it is curious that, even up to our own times, no change has been wrought upon the other part of our character. The disposition to abstract science still adheres to the Scottish nation. But the study of metaphysics has no where been more rationally or more successfully cultivated than amongst you, and while it has been stripped of its subtilties, has retained all its vigour and its usefulness. There is now, Gentlemen, none of that spirit of hostility to our countrymen of other persuasions, that formerly was said to distinguish the people of this country. This spirit of intolerance is fast wearing away from every country. Catholic chapels are now erected at Amsterdam and Geneva; I have seen a Catholic Bishop at Boston; and, even in Glasgow, is a Catholic Chapel, probably the most beautiful in the island." (Partial disapprobation.) When silence was restored, Sir James, in continuation, observed with great animation and effect, those who had manifested symptoms of disapprobation would probably have withheld them, had they waited for the following sentence: "Far be it from me ever to assert any sentiment inconsistent with my original convictions of the doctrines of a sincere Protestant, or with the most determined opposition to the arbitrary doctrines and dominant and intolerant spirit of the Church of Rome. On the contrary, the reason that I rejoice in the existence of such a Catholic edifice, is, that it proves that the stain of intolerance has been wiped away from the Protestant Church." (Universal Applause.) He was afraid that he had intruded too long on their time. (No. no.) It would give him the greatest pleasure to prolong his intercourse with them, but he feared it would be inconvenient for them. He then delivered an ele gant eulogiuin on the various distinguished individuals who had done honour to this University. The scientific and benevolent Hutcheson had led the way in a theory of morals, and his opinions had been illustrated in a life by Principal Leechman, which deserved to be better known, written with great elegance, and occasionally rising into eloquence. Dr. Smith had united great ancient learning with a familiar Knowledge of the affairs of active life; and in the science of political economy, as well as of morals and the principles of sound taste, had established a distinguished reputation. Dr. Reid had discussed with excellent good sense the principles of Metaphysics and Ethics. The lives and opinions of those eminent persons had been made known to all Europe by Professor Dugald Stewart, in a style of splendid eloquence, a philosopher, whose writ ings had infused the love of sound opinions and of virtue into more human bosoms than it had ever fallen to the lot of any other man to do. "I cannot conclude," said Sir James, "without warmly adverting to the distinction conferred on this University by my friend Mr. Millar, whose merits are too fresh in the recollection of all who hear me to justify me in dilating upon. Thus, gentlemen, to the great men who formed the University, a succession of illustrious men have been trained up, and it cannot be too much the practice of those who now so honourably and respectably fill the places of their illustrious predecessors, to hold up to the youth under their charge the example of the Smiths, the Hutchesons, the Blacks, and a host of other great names who have adorned the University, and benefited mankind by their discoveries or their writings. I return you, Gentlemen, my sincere thanks for the honour you have conferred on me." (Loud and unanimous applause.) GLEANINGS; OR, SELECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS MADE IN A COURSE No. CCCXCVI. A novel Plea. A French paper gives an account of a felon who pleaded in his defence, that, having been born at the comimbibed all its pernicious principles, mencement of the Revolution, he had and had never been able to discriminate between good and evil. court disregarded this ingenious plea; the man was convicted, and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. No. CCCXCVII. The Notable Instance of Self-Valuation. Modesty has been commonly accounted one of the true signs of intellectual greatness. A modern writer, of considerable notoriety, Mr. Cobbett, pronounces modesty mean and cowardly, and, acting up to his own standard of morals, thus appraises himself, in a letter to Mr. Canning, entitled, "Mr. Canning at School," in the Weekly Register, of October 26. [The extracts are from several paragraphs and are taken verbatim, with the writer's own memorable italics.] "I found my pretensions to be your teacher upon the best of all possible grounds; namely, that, as to all the chief matters appertaining to your office, I have greater abilities than you. I care not who calls this vanity: the questions with me, and, indeed, with all men of sense, are, whether it be true, and whether it be useful to state it. A great deal of what passes for modesty, ought to pass for cowardice, or servility." "I know, that, compared with this department of knowledge, every thing of a literary character sinks out of sight. Yet this is of some importance; and here, too, 1 am your master. I can state more clearly and reason more forcibly than you. Matters intricate in their nature I can simplify with more facility than you. I shall insert at the end of this letter (if I have room) a copy of my Petition to Parliament in 1820. I give it as a specimen of perfect wr ting. The matter of it is, at this moment, interesting beyond description. But I give it as a piece of writing and I defy you to equal it.""Even in your own department of Foreign Affairs I am more skilled than you. In the first place, though I confess it is a trifle, I can write and speak the French language better than you can, and, perhaps, better even than any of your interpreters." "The principles and practice of Public Law I know as well as you can know them" -" and can write upon any subject appertaining to them with more ability than you, because I can state and reason more clearly and more forcibly than you, because I can illustrate better, and because I can, without the smallest leaning towards levity, render subjects naturally dry and wearisome, not repulsive to the mind. And, as to the interests of the nation, as these are dependant on its foreign concerns, I am convinced I understand them better than you.". But, besides these grounds, there is, further, the reputation for knowledge and talent, in which I am far the superior of you all." "The malice, the baseness, the cowardice, the cruelty, of my powerful foes had made my name as well known as that of the air or the sun; and now have come events to couple knowledge with that name." "It would be against nature, if, under such circumstances," (the fulfilment of his predictions,) men did not, as to public matters, confide in my judgment more than in that of any other man. You, who have places and pensions, and who are sent from the boroughs, may call yourselves, exclusively, public men; but, who is really so much of a public man as I am ?"- "And do you gentlemen of Whitehall think that you, or your Ambassadors, have as much weight with foreign governments as I have? Talk of vanity! It must be vanity indeed, that can make you suppose, that any of the pretty palavering things called Notes and Despatches can have as much effect with foreign governments as the Register has." "It does not assert this or that it carries the proof: it shews that the state of things must be thus, and thus: and the reputation of the writer has gone before it." No. CCCXCVIII. Curious Pulpit Satyr. In the church of Schwytz, erected in 1769, is a pulpit supported by three colossal figures, which by a horrible contraction of the muscles, express the constraint they suffer in this position. These figures represent the three celebrated Reformers, Luther, Zuinglius and Calvin; and the enormous weight they here support is looked upon by the devout inhabitants of Schwytz, as an emblem of the chastisement which, in another world, weighs heavy on the heads of these guilty sectaries. The Zurichese disciples of Zuinglius offered forty thousand florins for the removal of an emblem so injurious to their belief, and to the memory of their countryman. But at Schwytz, as at Zurich, religious zeal was more powerful than interest, and this offer was obstinately refused.-Raoul-Rochette, Lettres sur la Suisse. No. CCCXCIX. The Chinese appear to have been Deists for at least forty ages: almost all their laws are founded on the knowledge of a Supreme Being, the dispenser of rewards and punishments. The inscriptions of their temples, of which we have authentic copies, are: "To the First Principle, without beginning and without end. He has made all things; he governs all things. He is infinitely good; he enlightens, he supports, he controuls all nature.” Voltaire, Histoire Générale. (49) POETRY. LINES WRITTEN AT THE CLOSE And still, with watchful, pitying eye, OF THE YEAR. H Celestial Mercy, ever nigh, Will shield my bosom from despair; Alas! what eyes whose radiance ne'er Stranger, from thee shall learn to weep; Perhaps, ere thy brief course is run, These anxious, tearful lids may close; May, on earth's peaceful lap, repose. Oh! may thy moments, stealing by Lull every rebel thought to rest; |