The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-09 00:00:00

GLASGOW UNIVERSITY.

GLASGOW, Amu s.—At the election of a Lord
Rector for the University of Glasgow in November last, the
votes of the Nations were equally divided between Mr.
BROUGHAM and Sir WALTER SCOTT. The decision there-
fore devolved upon the preceding Lord Rector, and in virtue of
his office, Sir James Mackintosh yesterday attended a meeting
of the Comitia, for the purpose of giving his vote. The assem-
bly of Students in the Common Hall was as numerous as cn
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
pursuance of a statute of the University, which provided that
in case there was an equality of votes, the former Rector should
give the casting vote.
Sir JAmEs MAcRINTosu rose amid repeated expressions of
generous feeling on the part of the students :
Gentlemen,-You have heard from the minutes the cir-
cumstances which have led to my comming here to-day to
perform the duty which is connected with my office. By the
indulgence of the Very Reverend Principal, and of the learned
and Reverend Professors, I take the liberty of making a few
observations before proceeding to give my vote. For my own
re-election, I ought in the first place to return you thanks,
Gentlemen, heartily and sincerely. And I, feel peculiar plea-
sure 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 place-
ed in some conspicuous place of this University, in which
he imbibed a philosophical spirit that has been the means of
immortalizing his name. I feel proud, Gentlemen, in be-
ing 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_ he means of human en-
joyment, and of extending the dominion of man over nature.—
(Applause.)—l must also congratulate the University on an-
other singular honour which belongs to it, and of which no
other University in Europe can boast. It is now nearly seventy
years since, in the University of Glosgow, was delivered a
clear and powerful exposition of those great principles of poli-
tical economy, on which the welfare and happiness of nations
depend—principles that have made their way through pre-
judice and ignorance into the Councils of Government, and
which suggest the means of perpetuating the prosperity' 'of
our country.--(Applause.)—Some of the 'youths • before me
will feel their minds roused by the names of Watt and Smith,
and will, I trust, cherish and support the honour and the
fame which belongs to the University of which they are mem-
ber. I wish not to enter into the indelicate and invidious task,
Gentlemen, of, drawing any comparison between the two most
eminent persons who have divided your suffrages. lam not
sufficiently qualified to make such a comparison; but, in truth,
the comparison, to be reasonable, must be founded on a re-
semblance which does not exist in the present case. But al-
though I had the other qualifications requisite, I am free to
Confess that I possess not impartiality. However the elec-
tion had turned out, the object would have reflected 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 one.: or two observations
on the subject not wholly without use to the younger part of
' my hearers.—(Aiiplauseo—The example of an extraordinary
man in the direction of his powers is lost to the majority of man-
kind ; but the course.of his studies, the maxims which regulate
and guide him, and the habits which distinguish his pursuits,
may be of great-use to all who apply themselves to literature
or science. 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 which are apt to
slacken the ardour of , youths no countenance to the

maxims that any superiority of genius can compensate
for arduous labour. No man- knows better how to employ

his labour to advantage, or is more constaot in. its emloi-
ment. His mind is powerful and robust; it can labour long,
arid apply intensely, and yet it is -ever' ready, to labour. • I•so
maxim is more-false, none-more inconsistent with our expe-
rience, or tends more to peeduce
.coxcombs and pigmies in in- '
tellect, than that which affirms that intense study is not neces-
sary for the improvement of _natural' talent. -lie would say to
you, in the language of one of the most distinguished
charac-
ters in the ancient world " Fatebor me in adoleseentia diffisain
meo ingenio queessise adjumenta doetrinte7'-=-(Cicerd Pro L.
Murena.) He who used this was no plodder nor drudge..--'.-
He possessed the eicheet variety of powers and accomplish-
ments, and he tells'yOu that hedistruated his natural genius,
and sought the aids of imowledge. Mr. Brotigham's exam-
ple—(applause)—and talent .was founded and loitered not by
superficial studies. His naturally strong understanding Was
first exercised on the severer scierices,• in which-be. greatly
distinguished himself; and he may assure you of their value,
not only to those who study them with a professional view,
but as a system of mental gymnastics. No. man ever felt
IVIr. Brougham's hostility, who did not acknowledge the
skill and strength of his understanding. His example is
well fitted to guard us against another prevalent 'fault and
-vulgar prejudice, that:thosemen'Who 'aim at 'general princi-
ples are, entitled to neglect accuracy of knowledge. Such
men dispise the knowledge, the value of which they are
ignorant. Bet by means of the electric rapidity of his cOncep- •
tion, he searches through the intricaziee, and sees :the whole of
question before other mert have loOked at the beginning, and in
a moment he can turn his undiiided attention to another sub-
ject. His mostremarhablepowers ofmind—his eminent know-
ledge and just views of the true interests of this migbty.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 preeente aingdtdhreerv'e frsohmiLabpu ce,pdrieesnsingahnids
mind—the vivacity with which he
mending him al; an'example fit to imitate and worthy of being
the powerful influence of his eloquence,.m aaelol,ceotrijmoigneninor,eccotomr:
pa do
rineiLleidn.
e( A
PrPhliasunlrratiyerl9giustlautnderstanding, thus exer-
cised in the severer-stiidisi; end' thug furnished with every sort
of useful and accurate knowledge, has-not in the least degree
disinclined hire, to the ecuLtivation, of classical literature. In
fettele.heTeet
irpr
imi.niegoo9p;P:satral
haleolYnyat severerc.w_ety:unreasonable.
ptnhshidtleteuiodsaj
aiwee.
s. s)
Hn statesmen,teh ar nrt
hips
ale'
11
mul-
tiplicity ocitsi otl
,of
is the
hl
literatureiO el rsar
?e
Scotland we may sometimes look down on studies of the latter,
kindeand professors in-other Countries may have looked on our
imp advan-
tage
tuorirsseu, is sopwhf
excusablehrosi
rrioaprbidecii sr
phers in despising Classical literature ; for what
Of his pursuits as
e
authors of antiquity have ever been . hiciitudy. His:getrius
whispered to him
listen to ancients, whose resistleestloquence
Wielded at will that fierce democratic,
Shook the arsenal, and fulmin'd over Greece
To Macedon and Artaxerxes' throne."'
With-singular precision,Milton frames to himself eloquence of
the highest kin , and the views which he has Of its power are.ef
such a sort that they could not be applied even to the eloquence
-of owe): Nothing of °mai-Pent, or, of show,:nothing ofamosee.
14f
h resisthil eloquence, which wields at
relent or.delight, ishert, is terrible, and. ueges on to battle
adwniisldtla tinviitce etsorayof,th oeu tyrant,hear
id
fierce democracy, carries terror and dismay to the most
gu
Liberty. That overwhelming. species of eloquence which. Mr.
ards-lay itseenergy Athens and
Brougham has cultiVated, has been greatly assisted' by his :study
of the great Musters of antiquity. 'With him eloquence is not
a mutter of parade arkEholiday recreation, not evenoef elegant
' pleasure and.refined%deligitte hiu ,one of ehoee mighty instru-
• ments by which. he -would, excite the feelings Of men, and con-
s
g,
understandin lead them-to trail and
since their ',justice, and
root out their prejudices, and conquer tbeirpassione. In con.
elusion, without Any, derogation from that illustrious person, to
whom I before alluded, and Who knows my admiration
character, the name ofldtr. Broirghainmay rouse the not :less
generous ambition of gervirig Oureciuntry in public life.—(Ap-
' oastirig- ytrie 'H 'Broudham, Esq.
r .(3 rat aPplaUtie folio iVeife and 'l4l Ilioughern *asileciated in
the usual form to be elected Lord Rector of the Oniverlity of
Glirego*.•
800 " Paradise Regained," ive 20-271.