The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-28 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

EDINDCION, Ocr. 26.
The Edinburgh academic season commences next
week. Principal Lee is to deliver the introductory
address in the university ; Dr. Cunningham in the
new college ; Professor Pillans in the school of arts;
and Professor Wilson in the philosophical institution.
It is indicative of the liberal spirit of the times that,
in the two last cases, university professors take the
lead in popular institutes.
Glasgow has lost her able city statist, Dr. Watt,
who has been cut off rather suddenly by. paralysis.
He was formerly professor of astronomy in the An-
dersonian university, and afterwards cathedral war-
den, from which he was removed to succeed the
famous 1)r. Cleland in the office now vacant by his
own death. The Courier says: " I )r. Watt was one
of the founders of the science of vital statistics, and
materially strengthened the hands of Mr. Farr, of
the general registration office, the originator of the
sanitary movement at present occupying so much of
public attention."
The " commissioner " of the North British Mail

has passed through Glen Tilt unchallenged, but his
immunity has proceeded apparently from the remiss-
ness of the watchers, and not from any relaxation of
the ducal fiat regarding its enclosure.
HOAX MEETING IN EGINEI:XOII.--Since the days of
Orator Henley, hoax meetings have been little known, but
one occurred in Edinburgh last Saturdey worthy of the re-
nowned hyp-doctor. A public meeting of the inhabitants,
was called by public advertisement and printed placards,
"on a subject of vital importance to all classes" of the
community. The meeting took place at one o'clock, in the
Waterloo-rooms, and at that hour a considerable tuaemblege
attended, embracing individuals of all classes and shades of
opinksi, who waited for half an hour with great patience,
though occasional manifestations were made of their anxiety
to ascertain the vitally important object of the meeting.
At length a person of respectable exterior, appa-
rently about thirty-five years of age, made his ap-
pearance on the platform, and commenced to read a length-
ened written document, maintaining all the while the most
inflexible gravity and seriousness of demeanour. The low
tone in which he spoke excited great dissatisfaction, end the
meeting pressed tumultuously to the platform with the view
of learning the object of the meeting, and made frequent
demands for the orator to raise his voice, but without effect.
The document began with a recital of his pedigree and pa-
rentage, and stated that the name of the unknown was
Ewen Alexander Cameron, and that he was a native
of lint. It then proceeded to narrate the appearance
of a beatific vision which hailed his delighted eyes while
walking in Glasgow-green on the 21st June, 1844, eon-
listing of a seraphic choir, amidst whose resplendent
throng shone the sainted form of his deceased mother,
who greeted him as King of Saxony and Bavaria, and
appointed him to receive the rights and emoluments attach.
Mg to that royal office. The circumstances of this remark-
able phenomenon he stated he had recorded in the books of
the police in Glasgow, but on recently searching them he
was unable to find any memorial of the event. The object
of his appearance, therefore, at that time was publicly to
testify to the truth of the miraculous appearance, the cir-
cumstances of which he expressed his determination to place
on the public records of the country for the benefit of suc-
ceeding ages. The reading of the document was frequently
interrupted by the derision End merriment of the audience,
which, however, did not in the least degree affect the stoicism
of this object of celestial favour, who retired with an appa-
rent consciousness of having discharged an important duty ;
and the meeting quietly separated.