THE MORAL PHILOSOPHY CHAIR. 



207 



Hostility on grounds purely political would have been, in the 

 singular state of feeling which then prevailed, more or less excusable. 

 But as the contest deepened, and my father's prospects of success 

 grew stronger, the opposition took a form more malignant. Wheu 

 it was found useless to gainsay his mental qualifications for the office, 

 or to excite odium on the ground of his literary offences, the attack 

 was directed against his moral character ; and it was broadly insin- 

 uated that this candidate for the Chair of Ethics was himself a man 

 of more than doubtful morality ; that he was, in fact, not merely a 

 " reveller" and a " blasphemer," but a bad husband, a bad father, a 

 person not fit to be trusted as a teacher of youth. These cruel charges 

 touched him to the quick. It is difficult now to realize that they 

 could have required refutation ; but so far, it appears, did the strength 

 of party bitterness carry men in these angry days. My father found 

 it necessary, therefore, to adduce " testimonials" to his moral char- 

 acter, as well as to his intellectual acquirements. How painfully he 

 felt these malicious attacks may be judged from the following letter 

 to his friend the Rev. John Fleming, of Rayrig, Windermere: its 

 manly spirit and noble tone, under circumstances so trying to the 

 temper, are worthy of remark : — 



" 53 Queen Street, Edinburgh, 

 July 2d. 

 " My dear Sir : — I owe you many thanks for your most kind 

 and friendly letter, which I laid before the electors, along with 

 mauv others from persons of whose good opinion I have reason to 

 be proud. The day of election is at last fixed, after many strange 

 delays, all contrived by my opponents, who have struggled to ob- 

 tain time, during which they contrived to calumniate me with a 

 virulence never exceeded and seldom equalled. The election will 

 take place upon Wednesday, the 19th of July, and the contest lies 

 between Sir William Hamilton, Bart., a barrister here, and myself; 

 other four candidates being supposed to have little or no chance of 

 success. I am, unfortunately, opposed by all the Whig influence in 

 Scotland ; but, on the other hand, I have the most strenuous support 

 of Government, as far as their influence can be legitimately exer- 

 cised, and of many of the most distinguished independent men in 

 Scotland. My friends are all sanguine ; many of them confident ; 

 and I myself entertain strong, and I think well-grounded hopes of 

 success. My enemies have attacked my private character at all 



