﻿GLASGOW. 



GLASGOW. 



38 



became a free burgh of barony. Soon after the Norman conquest 

 the see was refounded, and the cathedral or church rebuilt. In the 

 succeeding centuries the power and influence of the bishops were 

 Tery great. A battle between Wallace and Percy in the streets of 

 Glasgow in 1-300; the destruction of the spire of the cathedral by 

 lightning in 1387 ; the rebuilding of the great tower in 1408 ; and the 

 raising of the see of Glasgow into an archbishopric about the end of 

 the same century— are among the more important events in the history 

 of Glasgow before the time of the Reformation. At the Reformation 

 the cathedral was saved by the courage of the citizens, who assembled 

 in the 'Burjjher Guard,' to prevent its destruction. Down to the 

 middle of the loth century the town contained only about 1500 

 inhabitants, but after the founding of the university, which took place 

 about that period, the population steadily increa.ted in number. The 

 citizens gained municipal power by slow steps. Previous to the reign 

 of James I. of Scotland, the town was a burgh of barony. In 1450 

 William TumbuU, tifcn bishop of Glasgow, obtained a charter, erecting 

 the burgh and barony of Gla-fgow into a regality. In 1611 a charter 

 was granted by James VI. to the magistrates, council, and community ; 

 and in 1636 Charles I., by royal grant, incorporated them into a free 

 burgh, by which the city was placed in the rank of a royal burgh. 

 These charters relate to the ancient royalty. The last charter granted 

 to the city is that of William and Mary, dated the 4 th of January 

 1690, and confirmed by Parliament the 14th of June following. 



At Glasgow the meeting of the ecclesiastical Synod of 1633 was 

 held, at which the Scottish clergy refused to accept the Liturgy seat 

 to them by Laud, and commenced the eventful struggle between the 

 Government and the Covenanters. A little later in the history a fire 

 occurred, which consumed almost the whole of the city. After this 

 event some improvement took place in the appearance of the city, for 

 the former wooden houses and narrow streets were replaced by stone 

 buildiogs and wide thoroughfares. The modem history of Glasgow 

 is however to be traced from the period of the union of the two 

 kingdoms, for it was about that time that the commercial enterprises 

 of the citizens began to assume a national importance. 



Cathedral, Churcha, <Lc. — The cathedral, more commonly designated 

 the High Church, occupies a commanding position in the north-east 

 part of the city. The streets leading up to it furnish a gradual ascent 

 to the spot on which it is built. Propi around this venerable struc- 

 ture nearly everything is gone that tells of past ages. Its site is 

 iibout 100 feet above the level of the Clyde. The greatest internal 

 length of the building is about 320 feet; the breadth 63 feet; the 

 height of the nave is Ha feet, and of the choir 90 feet. It is supported 

 by 147 pillars, and ia lighted by 157 windows ; many of which, in the 

 decorated style of pointed architecture, ai-e of great beauty. From 

 the centre of the roof rises a beautiful tower, the spire of which has 

 an altitude of 225 feet. Glasgow Cathedral is the only existing speci- 

 men of a cathedral still used, and in good condition, in Scotland, 

 excepting that of Kirkwall, in the Orkneys. One of the most interest- 

 ing portions of it is the crypt, which is beneath the choir. The 

 length is 103 feet, the breadth ia 72 feet : it is supported by 05 short 

 pillars, many of which measure as much in circumference as in height 

 — namely, 18 feet, and these pillars support low arches. A dim light 

 enters in from about 40 small windows. Mr. Rickman thinks that 

 tills crypt " is not equalled by any other in the kingdom." During 

 the last few years the cathedral has been judiciously restored in many 

 parts ; but much still remuna to be done to obliterate the traces of 

 violence and neglect. 



The other churches of the city, with one exception, are not old 

 enough to be venerable, and too much like other modern churches to 

 claim any particular attention. The Barony Church, situated near 

 the cathedral, and built to accommodate the congregation which before 

 occupied the crypt, is a tasteless affair. The larger among the modern 

 churches, such as St. Andrew's, St Paul's, St. George's. St. John's, 

 St. Enoch's, &c., are for the most part neat structures. The steeple 

 of the Tron Church, or, as it is often called, the Laigh, or Low 

 Kirk, in contradistinction to the cathedral, or High Kirk, is one 

 of the most conspicuous objects iu the Trongate. It was burnt 

 down by accident, and immediately rebuilt, about fifty years ago. 

 The Roman Catholic chapel, on the right bank of the Clyde, ia a 

 large and fine modem editice. Several of the places of warship erected 

 during the last few years by the Free Church and the United Presby- 

 terian'Chnrch are very handsome as well as commodious structures. 

 According to the Census of Religious Worship and Education, taken 

 in 1851, it appears that there were then in the parishes which contain 

 the parliunentary city 139 places of worship, of which 29 belonged 

 to the Established Church, 27 to the Free Church, 20 to United Presby- 

 terians, 11 to Independents, 8 to Roman Catholics, 7 to Baptists, G to 

 Episcopalians, and 31 to minor bodies. The number of sittings provided 

 in 129 places of worship for which returns were procured was 100,574. 



C'nhertlli/. — About 1450 an application was made to the Pope for a 

 bull to establish a University ; and eight years afterwards a member 

 of the house of Hamilton bequeathed four acres of ground and some 

 bouse* to aid in this object. In 1577 a new and valuable charter was 

 obtained from James VI., new estates were granted by the crown, 

 and at various subsequent periods bequests were made to the Univer- 

 sity by private individuiUs, so that the institution gradually acquired 

 a poation of considerable importance. In 1693 a new disposition of 



the revenues of the University laid the foundation of that prosperity 

 by which its career has since that time been characterised. 



The buildings belonging to the University have grown to their 

 present importance by degrees : they occupy a large area of ground 

 near the upper end of the High-street. The buildings comprise five 

 quadrangles, bounded by the various rooms and oifices belonging to 

 the institution. The hall, the class-rooms, the library, the museum, 

 and the houses of the professors occupy a large extent of ground. 

 The librai-y was founded almost as early as the University itself, and 

 now contains a valuable collection of 00,000 or 70,000 volumes. The 

 Hunterian Museum originated with Dr. William Hunter, a well-knowu 

 Scottish physician, and brother to the celebrated John Hunter, who 

 in the year 1781 bequeathed to the University a collection of books, 

 coins, paintings, and anatomical prepai-atious, valued at 60,000/. He 

 also gave 8000/. for the erection of a building to contain the treasures. 

 Many additions have been since made. On the upper floor of the 

 museum building is an octagonal saloon with four recesses, occupied 

 with minerals, books, shells, Hindoo paintings, iiluniinated breviaries 

 of the 11th and subsequent centuries, early printed books by Caxtou, 

 and other curiosities. The museum contains statues aud busts of 

 Watt, by Chantrey ; of Gavin Hamilton, by Hewetson ; and of 

 Thomas Campbell, by Baily. The collection of autographs is curious. 

 On the ground-floor is a collection of minerals, fossils, coins, stuffed 

 animals, &c. Beneath is the anatomical museum, the most valuable 

 part of the collection, and the one to which Hunter had directed his 

 chief attention. 



The University consists in efi'ect of two corporate bodies or 

 establishments, one within another — the University and the College. 

 The first is vested with the power of granting degrees ; the second is 

 an educational establishment. The University, as a separate body, 

 consists of a chancellor, a lord-rector, a dean, a principal, the 

 professors, and lecturers. The office of chancellor is wholly an 

 honorary one, the only duty performed by him is to confer degrees 

 on persons found qualified by the senate. The lord-rector is an 

 officer of much more active powers; he is the guaidian of the statutes, 

 privileges, and discipline of the University; and, according to the 

 charter, bis jurisdiction over the members is so extensive as to 

 authorise him to inflict capital punishment; he is elected annually by 

 the dean, principal, professors, and matriculated students. Thusu 

 students are classed into four nations, called respectively, ' Natio 

 Glottiana sive Clydesdalia;,' ' Natio Albania;,' ' Natio Loudoniana 

 sive Thevidalia!,' and ' Natio Rothseiana.' Each ' Natio ' consists of 

 the students who were bom in a p;irticular part of the country, 

 strictly defined iu the books of the University. In voting for a lord- 

 rector each nation first decides among its own body, and the majority 

 then constitutes one vote in a second election ; if iu this second 

 election the four votes are equally divided, the former lord-rector has 

 the casting vote. This office has become a test of political party iu 

 the University. The Principal superintends in person the whole 

 internal arrangements of the University. The Professors are classed 

 into the Faculties of Arts, Theology, Law, and Medicine ; they 

 comprise ' College ' Professors, whose office is of ancient standing, 

 and constitutes them members of the Faculty ; and ' Uegius ' 

 Professors, whose office has beeu more recently founded and endowed 

 by the crown, and constitutes thi m members of the Senate. The 

 Faculty has the management of the estates and revenues of the 

 University ; the Senate superintends all other matters. There are 

 22 professoi's, who are paid partly by salary, and partly by fees from 

 students. The students are divided into ' togati ' and ' uon-togati.' 

 The 'togati' wear a scarlet gown, and are required to attend the 

 College chapel on Sundays ; the ' uon-togati ' are restricted neither iu 

 their dress nor iu their attendance on worship. The botanic garden, 

 which is connected with the botanical class in the University, and 

 the observatory connected with the astronomical class, have been 

 removed outside the city on the west. The position of the new 

 observatory is a very fine one, commanding au extensive view ; and 

 the new botanic garden is in its immediate vicinity. The University 

 session commences on the last Wednesday in October, and closes on 

 the 1st of May. The number of graduates in 1851-52 was 65. Iu 

 1852-53 the number of graduates was 60 ; of these 27 graduated 

 M.D., 11 A.M., aud 13 AB. The others were: — Masters iu Surgery, 6; 

 Doctors in Divinity, 2 ; aud Doctor of Laws, 1. 



Schoolt, ikc. — Glasgow is well supplied with educational establish- 

 ments of a high character besides the University. The High school, 

 or Grammar school, owes its origin to a date even more remote than 

 the University. The present building is situated iu Montroso-street. 

 The Andersouian institution or university was founded by Mr. John 

 Anderson, who was Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University 

 of Glasgow in 1795. The object was chiefly the promotion of 

 physical science ; the citizens of Glasgow generally have control over 

 the institution. Class-rooms, a lecture room, a library, a museum, 

 and a collection of apparatus are provided. The buildings are 

 situated in George-street. Iu 1851 there were in all IS literary and 

 scientific institutions in Glasgow, with an aggregate membership, so 

 far as ascertained, of about 8100. The aggregate number of volumes 

 in the libraries attached to these institutions was about 48,000. 

 Adherents of the Free Church have built a large and handsomo 

 Grammar school at the west end, and there ore numerous other public 



