190 UNIVERSITIES : ACTUAL AND IDEAL vin 



not yet found favour in the eyes of Academic 

 respectability; so that, when the proposal to 

 nominate me for your Rector came, I was almost 

 as much astonished as was Hal o' the Wynd, " who 

 fought for his own hand," by the Black Douglas's 

 proffer of knighthood. And I fear that my 

 acceptance must be taken as evidence that, less 

 wise than the Armourer of Perth, I have not yet 

 done with soldiering. 



In fact, if, for a moment, I imagined that your 

 intention was simply, in the kindness of your 

 hearts, to do me honour ; and that the Rector of 

 your University, like that of some other 

 Universities was one of those happy beings who 

 sit in glory for three years, with nothing to do for 

 it save the making of a speech, a conversation 

 with my distinguished predecessor soon dispelled 

 the dream. I found that, by the constitution of 

 the University of Aberdeen, the incumbent of the 

 Rectorate is, if not a power, at any rate a potential 

 energy ; and that, whatever may be his chances of 

 success or failure, it is his duty to convert that 

 potential energy into a living force, directed 

 towards such ends as may seem to him conducive 

 to the welfare of the corporation of which he is 

 the theoretical head. 



I need not tell you that your late Lord Rector 

 took this view of his position, and acted upon it 

 with the comprehensive, far-seeing insight into 

 the actual condition and tendencies, not merely 



