354 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. XI. 



David Brewster, as Principal, and the election of Chancellor 

 and Graduates' Assessor (i.e. representative in the University 

 Court). The former the Senatus had all to itself. . . . 



" Well ! carrying our newly-made Principal with us, we 

 adjourned to the Music Hall, where, by a dreadful, but un- 

 avoidable arrangement, we were locked in, after the voting 

 began, and had to listen to a roll of 1300 names read over. 

 However, it was an interesting scene, which I witnessed to 

 advantage from the platform. . . . The votes for Chancellor 

 were watched with immense interest, till it was quite certain 

 that Brougham must win ; and then the faces showed, like 

 sun-dials, which Star they obeyed. I admired the pluck of 

 the defeated men about me. It is a grand feature in our 

 national character, and is not in the Yankee nature, to 

 submit to a majority, and take a fair defeat uncomplain- 

 ingly. . . . 



"Next week came the opening. I hope to send you 

 with this Sir David's speech. He gave me a good word, 

 which the students took in hearty part. 1 



" The day after, our separate classes began. I lectured 

 for Kelland at 10 o'clock, and for myself at 12. You will 

 be happy to learn that he got back to Edinburgh on Satur- 

 day from Hitchin, near London, where he has been lying 

 for nine weeks with a compound fracture of the left leg, 

 above the ankle. I found him very hearty and cheerful. 

 He gave me a most graphic account of the railway smash, 

 and what befell him, ending, as one likes to hear a man 

 end, with saying, that he had no idea there were so many 



1 Sir David, in speaking of the Chair of Technology and the Indus- 

 trial Museum, refers to their being "under the guidance of Dr. George 

 Wilson, one of our most distinguished philosophers." "Introductory 

 Address by Sir D. Brewster, on the Opening of Session 1859-60," p. 17. 

 Edmonston and Douglas, Edinburgh. 



