238 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



was able to continue his studies and to extend his inquiries 

 into other branches of physical science, as well as into those 

 departments of philosophy and theology with which the physical 

 sciences are more closely connected. During his residence at 

 Monimail, he made himself known by extensive contributions to 

 various periodicals and cyclopedias, on those subjects to which he 

 had specially devoted his time; and oy this means he enjoyed an 

 intimate acquaintance with many of the most distinguished literary 

 scientific men in Great Britain. The science to which he remained 

 most fondly attached was that of astronomy ; and from his 

 thorough familiarity with the practical work of an Observatory, 

 from the enthusiasm with which he studied every improvement in 

 astronomical instruments, and hailed every fresh discovery to 

 which it led, as well as from his general scientific attainments, it 

 was thought probable that, had he not left Scotland, he would 

 have been appointed to the chair of his teacher, the late Professor 

 Nichol, in the University of Glasgow. De Quincey, in a noble 

 article on Lord Rosse's telescope, speaks of his friend Professor 

 Nichol as having contributed more than any other living man to 

 keep general English readers, who have not time for the scientific 

 investigations of astronomers, acquainted with the latest and pro- 

 foundest results to which these investigations are leading ; and 

 during the two years which have passed since the Professor's death, 

 it would be difficult to point to a man for whom the same distinc- 

 tion could have been so justly claimed as the late Principal of our 

 University. 



In 1860 he was invited by the Trustees of the Queen's Uni- 

 versity to become its Principal ; and after spending session 1860- 

 61 in the duties of the office, he decided to accept their invitation. 

 His brief and sad career among us is so unfinished that even its 

 imperfect results, and certainly, at least the larger and nobler aims 

 by which it was guided, could be adequately described only at 

 greater length than is possible in a hurried newspaper notice. 

 Those who have been interested in his movements must have 

 recognized the hopes which he entertained for the progress of 

 science by the efficient working of our Observatory, and for the 

 advancement of higher education by a more orderly government 

 of our University, as well as by a reform in the general relations 

 of all the Universities of Upper Canada. — Kingston News, May 

 Wth, 



Published, Montreal, June 15, 1864. 



