86 EARLY LIFE. 



only doubt being upon her share in Babington's con- 

 spiracy." 



On the question whether the lawyer or the divine is 

 more useful to society, it was given in favour of the 

 divine, all the lawyers voting in the majority ! That 

 Brutus was unjustifiable in killing Caesar, was decided 

 in the affirmative, as I well recollect, after an excel- 

 lent speech by Horner on that side of the question. 

 " Whether the prodigal is a worse member of society 

 than the miser;" I voted with the majority, Horner 

 the other way. " Whether man is happier in a rude 

 than in a civilised state ;" both Horner and I voted 

 in the minority, I grieve to say, the decision being for 

 the civilised state. " That benevolence is a stronger 



O 



principle of action than interest ; " Horner voted with 

 the majority, I with the minority. 



On looking over the rules and the proceedings of 

 this society it is very remarkable to find the extreme 

 regularity with which the business was conducted, 

 and the order which prevailed; so that the example of 

 these boys mii>iit be a lesson to their seniors in other 



/ o 



assemblies. 



Such of us as were destined for the bar afterwards 

 entered the Speculative Society, which had been long 

 established, and had a hall and library of its own in 

 the college. Men older than ourselves were amono- 



o O 



its active members ; but of our standing were Jeffrey 

 (though a little older), Ilorner, Murray, and Moncrieff, 

 Miller, Loch, Adam, Coekburn, Jardine and there 

 were several students who had come from England. 



