466 



GLASGOW. (DESCRIPTION.) 



vote on questions relative to the concerns of the uni- 

 versity, contend for prize*, and are eligible to degrees; 

 and the private students, who attend one or more 

 courses of any of the professors, without any views 

 to college advantages. The former are distinguished 

 by wearing a scarlet gown or toga. 



The Bridges of Glasgow which connect it with its 

 southern suburbs are four in number, three of stone 

 and one of wood. The Old Bridge or Stockwell Street 

 bridge, was built in 1345, and was originally only 

 twelve feet wide. In 1776, it was widened ten feet 

 on the east side, and in 1820-21, again widened, by 

 the formation of footpaths suspended on iron fram- 

 ings, from a design by the late Mr Telford. The 

 old Broomielaw or Jamaica Street bridge was erected 

 in 1767, and taken down in 1833, to make way for a 

 more spacious structure, designed by Mr Telford. 

 (See the article Bridge.) Hutchesons' bridge, a heavy 

 stone structure, was erected in 1830-33, from a design 

 by Mr Stevenson. In 1794, a stone bridge was raised 

 in the same site, but, when nearly finished, was 

 swept away by a flood. Portland Street bridge is a 

 handsome wooden structure, erected in 1832, as an 

 accommodation bridge during the building of the New 

 Jamaica Street bridge. Besides the above, Ruther- 

 glen bridge, which crosses the Clyde at Bridgeton, 

 may also be considered as belonging to Glasgow. It 

 was erected in 1776, from a design by the celebrated 

 James Watt. 



The Jail and Public Offices are situated at the 

 north end of Hutchesons' bridge, opposite the public 

 park or green. They were built in 1810, from designs 

 by Mr Starke, at an expense of 40,000. The east 

 front, which contains the Court Hall and other pub- 

 lic offices, presents a beautiful specimen of the 

 Grecian Doric. The portico consists of six fluted 

 columns, placed on colossal steps, with a screen of 

 columns behind, and a richly ornamented frize, 

 cornice, and pediment. 



Of modern erections in Glasgow, by far the finest 

 are the New Royal Exchange and surrounding build- 

 ings in Queen Street. This exchange was built in 

 1829, from a design by Mr David Hamilton. Its 

 front consists of a magnificent portico and cupola, 

 behind which a splendid hall is fitted up as a reading 

 room and general place of rendezvous for the mer- 

 chants of the city. At the back of the Royal 

 Exchange is situated the Royal Bank of Scotland, a 

 chaste and beautiful building. Besides this ex- 

 change, there is an establishment of the same kind, 

 called the Tontine Buildings, near the Cross, erected 

 in 1781, and used as a reading room and place of 

 assembly for merchants. 



The Public Monuments of Glasgow are highly 

 creditable to the city. Near the Cross, and opposite 

 the Tontine Buildings, stands a handsome equestrian 

 statue of King William III. which was presented to 

 the town in 1735, by James M'Crae, a citizen of 

 Glasgow, and formerly governor of the presidency 

 of Madras. In the green was erected, in 1806, an 

 elegant stone obelisk to the memory of Lord Nelson, 

 being the first monument commemorative of that hero 

 which was raised in Britain. In the town hall was 

 placed, in 1812, a full length statue of Pitt in marble, 

 executed by Flaxman. In George's square stand 

 two bronze statues, one by Flaxman, in honour of 

 Sir John Moore, who was a native of Glasgow, and 

 one, by Chantrey, in honour of James Watt, who 

 made his great improvements on the steam engine 

 at Glasgow. A colossal statue in stone, placed on 

 a pedestal, occupies a prominent position in the 

 fir- park which overlooks the cathedral, and is 

 dedicated to the memory of John Knox ; and near it 

 stands a smaller monument to another champion of 

 William M'Gavin. A monument to 



the memory of Sir Walter Scott is at present in 

 progress. 



The Benevolent and Charitable Institutions of 

 Glasgow are very numerous. Hutchesons' Hospital 

 was established, about the year 1640, by George and 

 Thomas Hutcheson, writers in Glasgow, and since 

 its institution has received new benefactions from 

 different persons. Its funds go to the relief of decayed 

 burgesses and the widows and daughters of burgesses, 

 and to the education of a certain number of boys. 

 Wilson's Charity, an endowment made in 1778, goes 

 to the education and clothing of a certain number of 

 boys; and Millar's Charity, founded in 1790, goes to 

 the education and clothing of a certain number of 

 girls. The Highland Society of Glasgow, established 

 in 1 727, has similar objects with the above. Besides 

 these, there are a number of institutions for the 

 relief of indigent old men and women for the sick 

 and indigent and for religious instruction. Glasgow 

 has an excellent Infirmary and Fever Hospital, situat- 

 ed near the Cathedral an Asylum for the Blind, and 

 an Asylum for the Dumb, in the same vicinity 

 besides a Lunatic Asylum and a Magdalen Asylum. 



The Literary and Scientific Institutions of Glasgow 

 are also numerous. The Andersonian Institution or 

 University was founded by the late John Anderson, 

 professor of natural philosophy in the university of 

 Glasgow, who, by his\ill, dated the 7th May, 1795, 

 bequeathed his valuable philosophical apparatus, and 

 nearly the whole of his property, towards the endow- 

 ment of an institution in this city " for giving lectures 

 in natural philosophy, and in every branch of know- 

 ledge." His plan embraced four colleges, one of 

 arts, one of medicine, one of law, and one of theo- 

 logy. It was for many years, however, chiefly re- 

 stricted to natural philosophy and chemistry, but now 

 embraces a complete course of medical instruction, 

 besides classes of botany, mineralogy, &c. The 

 institution was incorporated by a charter from the 

 magistrates on the 9th June, 1796. The general 

 superintendence is vested in eighty-one trustees, ap- 

 pointed by name in the will of the founder, and con- 

 tinuing in office for life. These are selected out of 

 nine different classes of citizens ; and vacancies by 

 death, or resignation, are filled up by ballot. Nine 

 are chosen annually as a committee to regulate the 

 affairs of the institution, who, out of their own num- 

 ber, elect a president, secretary, and treasurer. 



Professor Anderson's zeal for the advancement of 

 scientific knowledge led him to wish that the fair sex 

 also might be allowed to participate in its benefits; 

 and a prophetic hope is expressed in his will, that, 

 by means of a course of physical lectures, adapted 

 principally for ladies, but which gentlemen might also 

 be permitted to attend, the ladies of Glasgow would 

 become the most accomplished ladies in Europe. 

 The benignant scheme could not be carried into effect 

 in the college, although even there a few ladies were 

 admitted occasionally to a private gallery, but it 

 forms now a striking and important feature in the 

 institution of which he was the founder. The late 

 Dr Thomas Garnet was the first professor. In the 

 winter of 1796, he delivered his first course of lec- 

 tures to a crowded audience of both sexes in the 

 Trades' Hall. The lecture room was afterwards 

 transferred to John Street, where a commodious 

 rotundo was fitted up, for the purposes of the insti- 

 tution. Dr Garnet continued his lectures for four 

 successive sessions. The Andersonian Institution 

 having by this time excited great interest in Lon- 

 don, gave rise to the Royal Institution of Great 

 Britain, which was formed nearly on the same prin- 

 ciples. To the chair of natural philosophy in this 

 establishment, Dr Garnet was appointed in 1800. 

 He was succeeded by Dr George Birkbeck, who, in 



