New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-03
18th St., 10Th St., and 9Th Ave.

combated the views Of Mil on moral philosophy OF
Grote on the Greek Sophists. and OF Max Mueller on
ancient myths In later years he lectured on moo
ern Greek at oxford and Cambridge. lie was the
founder OF the chair OF Celtic at Edinburgh ior the
endowment Of which he personally raised fund
Of $4,000
or the great mans personal traits and manners
volume might be written He was the hero Of one
incident which has become classic ana mas bceh
attributed to various other professors. II was al
Edinburgh His regular classroom was undergoing
repairs SO he took temporarily another room. and
on the door wrote with bit Of chalk professor
Blackie will meet his classes here to-day Along
came the boys: wag erased the initial 'c' Of
Glasses In the inscription; and all stood about 10
see what the old would say to the amorous
Impeachment He came: glanced at the inscription:
did not smile. nor frown. but without seconds
hesitation erased the initial "l' and walked on 20
his desk. The boys never tried 10 play such joke
on him again. Here again ~ an entirely truthful
account of a scene in his classroom-ihe sort OF
scene that occurred there very often The Profes
sor-And now will read to YOU song have just
written. Immense applause First | will read 1t
in Greek and then. since probably none of YOU will
know enough Greek to understand ton Oho-I
will read IL in the barbarous tongue which YOU can
comprehend. daughter Cet on one OF the
back benches-Sing H. Blackiei Cheers cat calls.
laughter roars Of Sing it, the Professor vainly
endeavoring TO get hearing. In lull of the storm
he calculates: "You are a pack OF" ; the epithe,
& drowned in howls.) The Professor gathering up
his papers)-I won't read the song al all H'rofound
silenceJ The Professor tsmiling benignly)-Nery
we'll my dear fellows since you really seem able TO
behave yourselves ! will read the song (And
Blackie whom all the rough lads adore. begins 10
reclte his song in Greek and then in the birbarous
tongue'-and "A capital song II isJ
Every Saturday morning Of the winter session he
invited all his students to breakfast at his home
In patches for there were In all about 300 OF them
This is the description Of such BREAKFAST given
I'm THE London World" by one who had been pres
ent: THE professor welcomes all with II few kind
words and after grace In Greek recommends his
guests as rule Of their lives to read. as ne does.
a chapter OF the Septuagint every morning on ms
in II il a leading maxim OF his too that Greek
being "A living and not dead language. his people
should learn to speak It; and at these repasts con
scquentIy the rule is that one present shall
express his IDEAS and wants az far AZ possible In
the speech Of XenophOn. All the guests are some
what sheepsh and shy, but the professor AIDED
by the Of Mrs. Blackie. VIII occasionally elcit
a shrewd remark Raw red-haifed Donald Mcleod
from the Isle Of Skye. who lives all the week on
herring oatmeal and potatoes, being mportuned'
VIII treat the company to a Gaelic song ana then
the professor viii launch out on the importance OF
this tongue for pathological and other PURPOSES re-
lating how, after terrible combat with Goa IN
difference. he has succeeded In wrlnging money
enough from the pockets of his closehsted country
men 10 found and handsomely cndow chair OF
the Celtic language and literature in his muchoved
university Then some remark will make him re-
vert TO his past and he will inaIne the perl
patetic ambition Of his audience by referring to ms
wanderngs all over Europe-happy scotch pfoieS-
sOrs who have six months annual holiday IN
search Of truth and beauty: he VII! recount nov"
being challenged thereto by Ernest Jones' OF MAh-
chester he met that doughty champion OF Char,
tism ON the platform OF the music haiI 10 nc,'
public appeal 10 the merits OF Democracy;
and how the Red Republican, beaten bobDed a ,I
thumped reeled home. and never recovered ms
defeat like a second Salmasius. done to death ny
the disputatve darts of "A Defenslo pro Popuo
Anglcano' Then, to vary the entertainments, the
professor viii sing one Of his own songs, perhaps
'Ye Tragica Ditty Of Jenny Geddef and fer
Stoole' a ballad calculated to send his young
friends into the world with burning hate against
Episcopacy; he Will make their eyes sparkle
with patriotic fire by chanting The Lay OF tne
Brave Cameron and how his Killed clansmen
fought and died at Quatre Bras. Then all risins;
Will join In pealing forth Gaudeamus Igitur and
viii file out the street and. forming into knots
OF twos and threes, will resolve to dedicate the
day TO idleness Some will climb the crags of
Arhur's Seat. to scan the distant shores Of FIFE;
others will take the ferryboat and cross the Forth;
to saunter among the bosky braes Of Burntisiand
Bridge, westward through Dameny Woods to
Barnboglc Castle by the sea-nonc OF them, II may
be safely said. forgetful OF what they saw and
heard that morning..
The personal appearance OF Or. Blackie was at
striking and attractive. He was familiar 10
every wayfarer on the streets OF Edinburgh. man
of middle stature. lithe;y built OF finely chiselled
features. clearly shaven: a wealth OF sIlken silver
locks trembling his slender shoulders; a dark
frock coat: Shakespeare collar: q cavalier hat; q