100 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



later, the irruption of the plague in Edinburgh, where its ravages continued 

 from May till the following January, gave a temporary check to the University ; 

 but as soon as this terrible visitation had subsided, the magistrates resumed 

 their labours with energy. In the spring of 1586, it was enclosed within high 

 walls, and additional professors of law and philosophy introduced. Thirteen 

 years later, when King James returned from his court at Westminster to 

 Holyrood, he was highly gratified with the progress which had been made 

 during his absence. A public hall, a school for theology, and various other 

 apartments, had been completed, and inspired his majesty with so much satis- 

 faction, that he intimated his intention of honouring the college with his presence 

 at a public disputation in philosophy. This, however, was unavoidably post- 

 poned till the court had arrived in Stirling, where, on the tvrenty-ninth of July, 

 1617, in presence of the king, the nobles, and many of the learned men of 

 England and Scotland, assembled in the chapel royal, the disputation took 

 place, and lasted three hours, during which the king himself bore no incon- 

 siderable part in the discussion. Highly pleased with the ingenuity and 

 learning evinced by the Edinburgh professors during the debate, his Majesty, 

 after supper, addressed them in a strain of punning panegyric* — a species of vdt 

 which, in a royal personage, could not fail to command the most loyal applause. 

 Having now given his name to the college, the king was not unmindful of 

 his " god-child," but added also the gift ; and his example being followed by 

 numerous benefactions on the part of individuals, the institution soon rose into 

 celebrity and independence. 



The Botanic Garden belonging to the University, and covering a large space of 

 ground north of the city, is unrivalled in. point of judicious arrangement and 

 rare productions. " The gardens of the Hesperides," says a poetic eulogist, 

 " could hardly have presented a more beautiful or varied assemblage of plant 

 and flower — quos mulcent auras, firmat Sol, educat imber." 



Among the men who, prior to the establishment of presbytery in Scotland, 

 belonged to this University, and were distinguished for their genius and learning, 



* Being afterwards transmuted into rhyme, the concluding verse ran thus: — 

 " To their (the professors') deserved praise have I 

 Tims played ujjon their names ; 

 And wills their college hence be caird 



The College of King James." — Hist. Poet, in Scot. p. 159. 

 One of the puns attributed to his majesty on this occasion is thus stated : — One of the royal suite inti- 

 mating to liis majesty that he had taken no notice of Mr. Henry Charteris, principal of the college, a man 

 of exquisite and universal learning, but who had " no knack of speaking before so august an assembly," 

 the king replied, " Well does his name agree with his nature, for charters contain much matter, but say 

 nothing." — Jbid. 



