Thanks to the University of Edinburgh. 377 



power. For while we have such men as our Chairman — who 

 has shewn the greatest analytical skill in dissecting the most 

 complicate or difficult of all physical phenomena ; while we 

 have such a staff of intellectual men as are now engaged in 

 carrying on the work of the University of Edinburgh ; while 

 we have men who — he dared not speak of individuals — but 

 he must name the distinguished veteran (Professor Jameson) 

 who wielded a hammer before he was born — (great applause), 

 — and seeing a gentleman near him who holds a Professorship 

 (Professor Forbes of Edinburgh), whose essay connected with 

 Geology, he (Professor Sedgwick) did not hesitate to declare, 

 was adorned as much by admirable good taste as by its spirit 

 of sound philosophy, — while he could not pass over a gentle- 

 man now before him, adorned with such moral and intellectual 

 qualities as distinguished Dr Alison — (applause.) With such 

 men, therefore, filling the highest ranks in exact science, and 

 adorned with the highest moral and intellectual qualities, 

 they could entertain no more doubt of the future success, than 

 of the past prosperity, of the University of Edinburgh — (loud 

 applause.) The ladies, also, were members of the British As- 

 sociation ; and he was certainly rejoiced to see that they had 

 not only partaken of their intellectual banquet, but had even 

 condescended to share in those cruder and less promising 

 banquets in another room in Edinburgh. He rejoiced in that 

 kind of half celestial vision ; but he must mention the name 

 of one lady, and of all the ladies who had decorated the his- 

 tory of man, there was none who stood higher than one most 

 intimately connected with Edinburgh — that most accom- 

 plished philosopher, that admirable domestic woman, gifted 

 with all the qualities that adorned the elegancies of life along 

 with the very sternest of those powers which belonged to 

 high philosophy — of course he meant the name of Mrs Som- 

 merville — (loud applause.) The learned Professor then ex- 

 pressed the regret he felt in leaving so many kind friends, 

 and he trusted that the intellectual communions they had 

 enjoyed was not merely an offering to personal vanity, but 

 that they had co-operated for a common end — ^for what Bacon 

 called " constructing something for the glory of God and the 

 good of man's estate" — (applause.) That was the great 

 object of their meetings ; and he trusted that they would not 



