406 THE LIFE OF JAMES 2). FORBES. [CHAP. 



records, and left them arranged and ordered as they 

 never had been before. 



All these various subjects of interest, as well as others 

 which engaged his time and thoughts, will best be illus- 

 trated by the following selections from his St. Andrews 

 correspondence : 



To DR. SYMONDS. 



' ST. ANDREWS, January Gth, 1861. 



' . . . You heard, I believe, of our spending a fort- 

 night in Edinburgh among our old friends at least 

 those of them who still remain there for death and 

 change have now materially diminished their number. 

 My wife and I and the two boys stayed with my sister, 

 and the three girls with Mrs. Wauchope. Notwith- 

 standing the excessive severity of the frost, we spent 

 a pleasant time, and the change to Edinburgh was very 

 much in favour of the children, especially Eliza and 

 George, who have returned to St. Andrews quite well. 

 My chief and almost daily business was sitting for 

 my picture, for the Koyal Society, to Sir J. Watson 

 Gordon. Fortunately he is a pleasant informed old 

 man, and I did not grudge him the time I spent, as he 

 was well satisfied with his work, and he took the greatest 

 pains with it. It is considered a good work of art, and 

 some good judges think the likeness excellent, but Alicia 

 is not quite pleased in this respect. I believe myself it 

 is too favourable. However, it is an honour of which I 

 am very sensible, to be handed down to posterity in such 

 good company as that of the worthies of the Eoyal 

 Society. My duties and occupations here employ me 

 sufficiently without being burdensome. I believe that 

 I enjoy the confidence of my colleagues on most points. 

 A very searching examination of the financial state of 

 the College, which has landed property to the extent of 

 nearly 3,000 a year, has occupied a great deal of my 

 serious attention : and I have of course a great deal to 

 learn on such matters ; but we have taken the highest 

 professional advice, instead of working on with our own 

 crude notions. The sitting of the Commission, and the 



