xii.] LIFE IN ST. ANDREWS. 399 



this remark : ' All things become solemn when the past 

 perspective of life is the predominating object/ 



This was the prevailing tone of feeling with which he 

 entered on his new duties. He felt strongly the frail 

 hold he had on life, and whatever his hand found to do 

 he set himself to do it with his might. 



The time at which he entered on his new sphere was 

 a momentous one for St. Andrews as for all the other 

 Universities. The Scottish University Commissioners 

 were in full session, busily framing ordinances which 

 should control the course of study, the University 

 finances, the library privileges, and the Professors' 

 salaries for a long time to come. 



To supply the Commissioners with the information 

 they required, and to offer his own suggestions for their 

 guidance, was one of Forbes' earliest tasks. 



The finances of his own College he found in a con- 

 1 and dilapidated state ; and to understand these, and 

 devise measures for their restoration, he first addressed 

 himself. At whose door the largest share of blame for 

 this confusion lay need not now be inquired. Suffice it 

 that it mainly arose from a long habit of dividing among 

 the Professors the annual rents of the College lands, 

 without laying by a reserve fund adequate to meet the 

 necessary outlays for repairing farm steadings or other 

 such contingencies. To unravel the tangled mesh Forbes 

 applied himself with characteristic diligence, method, 

 and business faculty ; and it was mainly owing to 

 his exertions that the Commissioners were enabled to 

 place the finances of the United College on a footing 

 which, if somewhat burdensome to the present gene- 

 ration of Professors, promises to provide for their suc- 

 cessors ampler incomes than those now living are likely 

 to enjoy. 



The next subject he had to tackle with was the Uni- 



:ty finances, or the contents of the University chest 



se he found in a much more flourishing condition tli.m 



those of his own College. But this prosperity nly 



owing to a source of revenue which the Tim 



