The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-09 00:00:00

GLASGOJV UNIVERSITY.

At the election of a Lord Rector for the University of Glasgow in
November last, the votes of the Nations were equally divided be-
tween Mr. Brougham and nir Walter Scott. The decision there-
fore devoted upon the preceding Lord Rector, and, in virtue of
his office, Sir James 31ackintenli on Monday attended a meeting of
the Comitia, fur the purpose of giving his vote. The assembly of
Students in the Commies Hall was as numerous as on any former
occasion, and they received their late Lord Rector with the warmest
applause.
The Very Reverend Principal MACFARLANE briefly stated the
object of the meeting to be in the pursuance of a statute of the Uni-
vcrnliv. which provided that in ease there was an equality of votes,
the former Rector should give the casting vote.
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH rose amid repeated expressions af
generous feeling on the part of the Students :
Gentlemen—You have heard from the minutes the circumstances
which have led to my coming here to-day to perform the duty which
is connected with my office. By the indulgence of the Very Rev.
Principal, and of the Learned and Rev. Professors, I take the
liberty of making a few observations before proceeding to give my
vote. Fur my own re-election, I ought, in the first place. to re-
turn you thanks, Gentlemen, heartily and sincerely; and 1 feel
pecultar pleasure in having become the channel through which a
valuable gift has been bestowed upon the University. The memory
of James Watt is greatly honoured, and will receive from the gra-
titude of his country, and of mankind, the highest respect, while
talent and genius continue to be admired. Through me his son has
presented a statue of an illustrious father, to be placed in some
conspicuous place of this University, in which he imbibed a philo.
sophical spirit that has been the means of immortalizing his name.
I feel proud, Gentlemen, in being the channel through which
this statue has been given, and I trust in God that it is destined to
awaken in generations yet unborn, the ambition of multiplying
the means of human enjoyment, and of extending the dominion
of man over nature. (Applause.) I must also congratulate
the University on another singular honour which belong, to
it, and of which no other University in Europe can boast ; it
is new nearly seventy years since, in the University of Glasgow
wastlelivered a clear mid powerful exposition of those great prin.
elides of political economy, on which :he welfare and happiness
of nations depend—principles that have made their way through
prejudice and ignorance into the Councils of Government, and
whirls suggest the means of perpetuating the prosperity of our
country. (Applause.) Some of the youths before me will feel
their minas roused by the mimes of Watt and Smith, and Will, I
trust, cherish and suapor4 the honour and the fame which belong
to the Unirerity of which .hey arc member,. (Applause.) I wish
not to enter into 'the indelicate and invidious task, Gentlemen,
of drawing any esaiparison between the two most eminent per.
sons that have divided your suffrages. lam not tuflicienly quali-
fied to make such a comparison : but in truth the eompariron, to be
resaniable, must be founded on a resemblance which does not exist
in the present case. But although I had the other qualifications
requisite, I am free to confess that I possess not impartiality.
However the election had turned out, the abject would have re-
flected honour on your choice; the difficulty lay in the richness of
the objects. I should have proceeded in silence to discharge my
duty, if I did not think that I might make o• .e or two observa-
tions on the subject not wholly without use to the younger part
of my hearers. (Applause.) The example of an extraordinary
veil to the direction of his powers, is lost to the majority of man_
kind ; but the course of his studies, the maxims which regnlate
and guide him, and the habits which distinguish his pursuits, may
be of great use .13-elk-41to apply themselves to literature or cci.
vice. Happy were it to know, and to pursue the course of study
and the habits of the gentleman to whom I am about to give a
casting vote. His course of study affords no countenance to any
of those views nhi eh are apt to slacken the ardour of youths--no
countenance to the maxim that any superiority of genius can
compensate for arduous labour. No man knows better how to
employ his labour to advantage, or is more constant in its em-
ployment. His mind is powerful and robust ;it can labour lon,
and apply intensely, and yet it is ever ready to labour. No
maxim is more false, none more inconaistent with our experi.
ence, or tends more to produce coxcombs and pigmies in intellect,
than that which affirms that intense study is not necessary fur the
improvement of natural talent. Ile would say to you, in the ion-
gusge of one of the most distinguished characters in the ancient
world, " Fatebor me in adoleseenua diffisurn meo ingenio quaesisse
adjumenta doctrinae."—(Cicero I'ro. L. Murena.) He who used
this was no plodder nor drudge. He possessed the richest variety of
powers and accomplishments, and he tells you that he distrusted
his •natural genius, and sought the aids of knowledge. Mr.
Brougham's example (applause) and talent was founded and fos-
tered not by superficial studies. His naturally strong understand.
ing was first exercised on die severer sciences, in which he greatly
distinguished himself; and I may assure you of their value,
tot only to those who study them with a professional view, but
as a system of mental gymnastics. No man ever felt, lilr.
Brougham's hostility who did not acknowledge the skill and
satre of his understanding. His example is well fitted to
itaiirgth
us against another prevalent fault and vulgar prejudice,
that those into who aim at general principles are entitled to neglect
accuracy of knowledge. Such men despise the knowledge, the
value of which they are ignorant. But by means of the electric ra-
pidity of his conception, he searches through the intricacies, and
sees the whole of a question before other men have looked at the
beginning, and in a moment he can turn his undivided attention tol
another subject. His most remarkable powers of mind—his emi.
nent knowledge and just views of the true interests of this mighty '
empire—his capacity to observe facts the most minute, which
would have escaped any other mind—his ability to reduce them to
order and method, and of preventing them from oppressing his
mind—the nivaeity with which he addresses his audience, and the
powerful influence of his eloquence, all conjoin in recommending
him as an example fit to mutate and worthy of being admired.
(Applause.) Mess agilat riders et magno le co'pore muret. This
naturally robust understanding, thus exercised in the severer stu-
dies, and thus furnished with every sort of useful and accurate
knowledge, has not in the least degree disinclined bin, to the culti-
vation of classical literature. In Scotland we may sometimes look
down on studies of the latter kind, and Professors in other coun-
tries may have looked on our pursuits with a disregard equally un-
reasonable. Scholars are more excusable in despising the severer
studies, than philosophers in despising classical literature; for what
is the advantage of philosophy if it does not teach the use of litera-
ture ? It is, so far, imperfect philosophy. (Applause.) In the
multiplicity of his pursuits, as a lawyer and a statesman, the
authors of antiquity have ever been his study. Ills genius
whispered to him their importance, and he has never failed to
listen to
•• Those ancients, whose resistless eloquence
Wielded at will that fierce democrseie
Which shook the arsenal, and fulmined over Greece
To Macedon and Artaxerxes' throne."*
'ith singular precision Milton frames to himself eloquence of the
highest kind; and the views which he has of its power are of
such a sort that they could not be applied even to the eloquence
of Cicero. Nothing of ornament or of show, nothing of amuse.-
ment or delight, is here ; all is terrible, and urges on to hatile
and victory. You hear of resistless eloqueuce which wields at
will the fierce democracy, carries terror and dismay to the most
distant seat of the tyrant, and guards by its energy Athens and
LiOerty. That overwhelming species of eloquence which Mr.
Brougnam has cultivated, has been greatly assisted by his study
of the great masters of antiquity. With him eloquence is not a
matter of parade or of holiday recreation, not even of elegant plea-
sure and refined delight, hut one of those mighty instruments by
wails he could excite the feelings of men, and convince their un-
demanding, lead them to truth and justice, and root out their pre-
judices, and conquer their passions. In conclusion, without any
derogation from that illustrious person to whom I before alluded,
and who knows my admiration of his character, the name of Mr.
Brougham may rouse the not less generous ambition of serving our
country in public life. (Applause.) I give my casting vote to
Henry Brougham, }:sq.
Great applause followed this decision, and Mr. Brougham was
declared in the usual form to be elected Lord Rector of the Uni-
versity of Glasgow.
• See Paradise Regained, iv. 263-271.

Mr. Brougham will attend at Glasgow on Wednesday
mat, to be inaugurated as Lord Rector of the Univeristy.
Lord Altbort) has abandoned his intention of giving the
trial of all actions for debts under 10/. to assessors, to be
appointed by the Crown. The jurisdiction will now be
given to the Commissioners of the Insolvent Debtors'
Court, who think they shall be fully able to discharge this
additional duty. This measure will greatly increase the
business of the Insolvent Debtors' Court, and be a con-
s.derable saving of expense to the country, and dispense
with much patronage of the Crown. His Lordship is de-
sirous of bringing in a Bill to this effect immediately
after the recess, in order that the experiment may hava a
fair trial for one year, at the end of which period the Act
under which the:present Insolvent Debtors Court is con-
stituted (which is also his Lordship's) expires. If the
measure shall be found to have succeeded, the two acts will
be consolidated into one. The number of persons consi-
dered entitled to compensation in case the Bill should pass,
we understand, is hut small ; the sum required as com-
pensation money will be about 5,000/.—Evening Paper.
THE INTLI:101t OP AratCA.—A letter from Tripoli, of
Barbary, of 7th January, says :—" The French traveller,
M. J. R. Pub% after traversing Egypt, hasjust arrived at
DTlia, provided with a recommendation from Mehemet
Ali Pacha, for the Chief of this Regency, and with a letter
from M. Drovetti, for the French Consul-General, who
Las procured all the necessary means to examine in detail,
4 id in safety, the ancient Cyrenaica, the coasts of the
s!.r:cs, and the into ler of the kingdom of Tripoli. The
Li.;ish travellers, who have penetrated to Bornou, have
lust arrived here. It appears that these travellers have
.act with many difficulties, in consequence of the deaths of
tir. ()mine,/ and Mr. Tool. Mr. Clapperton has penetrated
a considerable way into Is:!gritia, and been very successful
there. His arrival with Major Denham is announced.
i.'l'eret, the youngest of the three travellers, has remained
Ineu alone, not having even a Christian servaet with