398 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



lently, to the winds. The reputation of Sir David- s name 

 was, of course, an honour to St. Andrews, as it would 

 have been to any University ; but he laboured under a 

 delusion, of which he could not dispossess himself, that it 

 was the peculiar calling of St. Andrews to train practical 

 men of science, especially engineers, for the whole nation. 

 So illusory was this idea, that it may be doubted whether 

 so much as one student ever came to St. Andrews in 

 quest of training for this profession. Principal Forbes, 

 devoted though he was to his own subjects, did not share 

 this delusion. He saw clearly enough that in St. Andrews 

 these could have no special prominence ; that it must 

 continue, as in the past, to give a general education to 

 young men meant for any one of the professions, and 

 that if it had a specially professional calling at all, it was 

 to prepare ministers for the several churches, and teachers 

 for the borough and parish schools. But to Sir David's 

 unflinching opposition to all jobbery in choosing Pro- 

 fessors, and his determination to elect the best men that 

 could be found, Principal Forbes owed it that he found 

 his College equipped with a staff of Professors not then 

 surpassed by the staff of any other Scottish University. 

 Prominent among these was the late Professor Ferrier, who, 

 by his subtle philosophic genius, expressing itself in a 

 perfect style, not only adorned his own chair, but main- 

 tained for another generation his country's ancient fame 

 for metaphysical genius. Two others may be named 

 who now adorn other Scottish Universities. Professor 

 Sellar, now Professor of Humanity in Edinburgh, then 

 taught with great power from the Greek chair in St. 

 Andrews, and Professor Veitch had just then begun 

 to teach in St. Andrews that vigorous course of 

 logic and metaphysics which he has since transferred 

 to the corresponding chair in Glasgow University. 

 Others might be named who were the colleagues of 

 Forbes in St. Andrews and still occupy the chairs they 

 then held. 



Just before leaving Edinburgh to reside at St. Andrews, 

 Principal Forbes had wound up a letter to a friend with 



