i8 4 7 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, 



when he described his Sunday congregation in the 

 Cowgate "sitting in all the glory of their rags," and 

 when, speaking of the Survey, he said, " I hope they 

 endow you liberally, and do not engraft upon you the 

 scurvy economics of a Joseph Hume." 



' i\th. Heard from Sir Henry asking me if I 

 would accept the Chair of Geology at University Col- 

 lege, London, if it were offered me. Wrote favourably, 

 but said I would not accept if the trouble were to be 

 infinite and the emoluments nothing but the honour. 

 I would accept on the grounds that the position of 

 professor in one of the chartered Universities is a 

 good addition to my present honourable position ; 

 that it would do me good in London scientific society, 

 besides that a tag is a useful thing to a man's name 

 anywhere. This is the second time it has been 

 offered ; the last was before Joyce was appointed.' 



Two days afterwards he heard that the number of 

 students attending the class of geology at University 

 College had, during the previous five years, ranged 

 from eight to seventeen, and the emoluments from 

 ^14 : IDS. to ^48. The prospect which these figures 

 opened out to him could not be regarded as inviting. 

 Nevertheless he determined to accept the appointment 

 if the season and hour of lecture could be made to fit 

 in with his duties in the Survey. Edward Forbes 

 wrote to him urging him to make his conditions 

 definite, and particularly that the lectures should be 

 given in one continued course in January, February, 

 and March, and he added that * remuneration can 

 hardly be expected from it, but the position and title 

 are worth having, and might under various circum- 

 stances be of much importance to you. I think, too, 

 you might make a class in the end, and make it worth 



