44 EARLY LIFE. 



truths, those which he warmly inculcated. It must, 

 however, be observed, that there are in many parts of 

 Seneca's philosophical writings passages of great elo- 

 quence, in none more than the treatise on Providence, 

 in that on the great question of the origin of evil, 

 and that on the shortness of life. 



The steady honesty of Dr Adam, his devotion 

 to his principles, his unwearied zeal and heartfelt 

 enthusiasm in impressing them on his pupils, can 

 never be forgotten by those who had the inestimable 

 benefit of his teaching, and of learning, beside that 

 which was the first and main object of his instruction, 

 those other things with which it was connected, and 

 on which no other teacher ever thought of dwelling. 

 I consider myself indebted to him for whatever success 

 has attended my life, whether speculative or practical; 

 and a few of our fellow-pupils were so sensible of the 

 great value of his general comments, and remarks on 

 men and manners, that we made it a common practice 

 to take notes of his observations, and to interchange, 

 and correct, or extend them. 



Moreover, he inculcated not only the expediency 

 of written translations beyond those which were given 

 in as our exercises, but of practising composition and 

 speaking. Two or three of us used to meet of an 

 evening and hold a debate on some subject which he 

 had handled in his class ; and having been taken by 

 my tutor to hear a debate in a meeting composed 

 chiefly of students in the University, but open to all 

 who chose to subscribe, I tried my hand at compos- 



