The Edinburgh Review. 81 



consummate talent by a small society of men of the 

 most liberal principles. Their powerful articles gave 

 a severe and lasting blow to the oppressive and 

 illiberal spirit which had hitherto prevailed. I be- 

 came acquainted with some of these illustrious men, 

 and with many of their immediate successors. I 

 then met Henry Brougham, who had so remarkable 

 an influence on my future life. His sister had been 

 my early companion, and while visiting her I saw 

 her mother a fine, intelligent old lady, a niece of 

 Robertson the historian. I had seen the Eev. Sydney 

 Smith, that celebrated wit and able contributor to 

 the Review, at Burntisland, where he and his wife 

 came for sea-bathing. Long afterwards we lived 

 on the most friendly terms till their deaths. Of 

 that older group no one was more celebrated than 

 Professor Playfair. He knew that I was reading the 

 " Me'canique Celeste," and asked me how I got on ? 

 I told him that I was stopped short by a difficulty 

 now and then, but I persevered till I got over it. 

 He said, " You would do better to read on for a few 

 pages and return to it again, it will then no longer 

 seem so difficult." I invariably followed his advice 

 and with much success. 



Professor Playfair was a man of the most varied 

 accomplishments and of the highest scientific dis- 

 tinction. He was an elderly man when I first 



