VT.] PROFESSORIAL LIFE. 153 



The letter of Forbes to Dr. Whewell OD his appoint- 

 ment to the ^Mastership of Trinity has a certain historical 

 ell as personal interest : 



'EDINBURGH, October 31st, 1841. 



'I do not know whether your appointment to the 

 Mastership of Trinity has actually taken place ; if so, 

 excuse the deficiency in my address. I hope you will 

 have little difficulty in believing that amongst the many 

 who rejoice on this occasion, not one can do so with more 

 nterested sincerity than I do. 



* Having learned during the ten years of friendship 

 with which, notwithstanding our disparity in years, you 

 e honoured me, to value and admire your personal as 

 well as your public character, I cannot but rejoice that 

 you should fill a station for which the previous course of 

 your life and studies so eminently fits you. The great 

 influence connected with that station will give additional 

 currency to the views of education and other subjects 

 which 1 am happy to think I hold in common with you, 

 ami I certainly augur the happiest results from the per- 

 manent connection thus formed between you and the 

 University. Beside all this, I feel the liveliest pleasure 

 in any circumstance which, like this, bears public testi- 

 mony to your well and hardly earned reputation, and 

 which must place you in a position as really desirable as 

 any I suppose which this world affords/ 



During the session of 1840-41, among the students 

 who attended his class was one whose beautiful and 

 engaging character soon attracted Professor Forbes. 

 John Mackintosh had just completed his course at Glas- 

 gow College ; and, having to spend in Edinburgh a year 

 before he passed to Cambridge, lie attended the Natural 

 Philosophy Class. The Professor and th.- student, if in 

 some tilings unlike, resembled each other in the rare ele- 

 <>n and purity of their natures. The intimacy which 

 arose 1" ilem quickly ripened into a dee]) and 



mMiij). At the close of the session, in 

 y 1841, they made a short tour together in A nan, 



