CHAPTER V 



1874 



MY father's health continued fairly good in 1874, 

 and while careful to avoid excessive strain he was 

 able to undertake nearly as much as before his illness 

 outside his regular work at South Kensington, the 

 Royal Society, and on the Royal Commission. To 

 this year belong three important essays, educational 

 and philosophical. From February 25 to March 3 

 he was at Aberdeen, staying first with Professor 

 Bain, afterwards with Mr. Webster, in fulfilment of 

 his first duty as Lord Rector l to deliver an address 

 to the students. Taking as his subject " Universities, 

 Actual and Ideal," he then proceeded to vindicate, 

 historically and philosophically, the claims of natural 

 science to take the place from which it had so long 

 been ousted in the universal culture which a Uni- 

 versity professes to give. More especially he de- 

 manded an improved system of education in the 



1 It may be noted that between 1860 and 1890 he and Pro- 

 fessor Bain were the only Lord Rectors of Aberdeen University 

 elected on non-political grounds. 



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