170 THE LIFE OF JAMES 1). FORBES. [CHAP. 



indisputable traces of glaciers/ These explorations were 

 afterwards embodied in a paper on the Geology of the 

 Cuchullin, or Coolin hills, for the latter is the name by 

 which they should be called. 



A letter written from Skye on a very different subject 

 the removal of University tests may here be given. 



To the REV. DR. WHEWELL. 



' PORTREE, ISLE OF SKYE, April 1845. 



'. . . You ask about our University tests. As on all 

 similar subjects, men's minds seem to be undergoing a 

 curious revolution on this. The result of the late dis- 

 cussion in our own Senate surprised me excessively. 

 From the first I had resolved to take no part whatever 

 in it. As an Episcopalian, I felt too much interested in 

 the removal of them to trust myself to vote on that side, 

 my prepossessions being certainly favourable to some 

 species of test generally ; and besides, having been myself 

 admitted by the liberality or the laxity of our usages 

 into a position somewhat equivocal, I would not take 

 advantage of that position to lift a hand against the 

 Establishment which had connived at my entrance. 

 Great was my astonishment when I found how much 

 this delicacy seemed thrown away, for every professor 

 present, including old Presbyterians, Free Churchmen, 

 lawyers, several Conservatives, and all the Episcopalians, 

 voted for the removal of the tests, except Principal 

 Lee and myself, who did not vote ; but it was plain 

 that even the Principal did not dissent from the grounds 

 of the vote, but kept back merely from a consideration 

 of his position in the Church. This curious result 

 satisfied me that the minds of moderate sensible men 

 in Scotland attached to Presbyterianism are in favour of 

 the removal of the tests which, in our University at least, 

 have so long been nominal. But I am glad that no part 

 of the weight rests on my shoulders. Personally, I shall 

 feel more comfortable when these tests are removed, 

 which I suppose will soon be done, since so many parties 

 unite. At all events, I suppose there is no chance of 



