44 MEMOIR OP DR. WALKER. 



to his political services, performed or to be per- 

 formed, when writing to Mr. Dundas. But the in- 

 fluence of Sir Laurence, who was engaged on the 

 other side, and the politics of Stirlingshire, in which 

 the family of Home too were involved, prevailed for 

 Dr. Walker, and he carried the day. 



But the Doctor's troubles were not yet at an end, 

 when he was installed in the professorship; Mr. 

 Smellie resumed his plan of giving lectures on the 

 philosophy of natural history, and proposed com- 

 mencing his course under the auspices of the Anti- 

 quarian Society, whose secretary he was, and in 

 their hall. Upon receiving this information, Dr. 

 Walker immediately addressed the Earl of Buchan, 

 president of the Society. 



" Moffat, 14th September, 1680. 



" My Lord, I received the honour of yours of 

 the 10th inst., concerning Mr. Smellie. I find, 

 what I suppose your lordship has not been informed 

 of, that under the title of Keeper of the Museum of 

 the Antiquarian Society, his design is to give lec- 

 tures on natural history. I should never object to 

 any person doing this as an individual ; but to do it 

 under the protection of a numerous society, contain- 

 ing so many respectable members, is what, to be 

 sure, I cannot see without some regret. 



" That private teachers, for their own interest, 

 should pursue plans of this sort, is not at all sur- 

 prising ; but surely neither I nor the university of 

 Edinburgh merit such an opposition from any pub- 



