34 MEMOIR OF AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN. 



1829-30. had ended, and the dissensions in the institution were 

 publicly known. In March 1830 the Mathematical Pro- 

 fessor's share of the difficulties became serious, and a 

 correspondence between himself and the Warden resulted 

 in some modifications of the functions of that officer. 

 But the disturbances on the Medical side continued 

 through the year, the result of a series of alternate mis- 

 takes on the part of the authorities and remonstrances 011 

 that of the Professors. One of these remonstrances is con- 

 tained in a letter written by Mr. De Morgan, who had been 

 asked by some members of the Council to lay before that 

 body the views he had expressed in a conference with a 

 Committee appointed to examine into some complaints pre- 

 ferred by the Anatomical class against their instructor, 

 Professor Pattison : l 



1831 GENTLEMEN, -In compliance with the wish expressed by you 



Letter to 



committee, when I had the honour of an interview with you, I lay before 



you the views which I entertain on a subject most essentially 

 connected with the welfare of the University, viz., the situation 

 which the Professors ought to hold in the establishment. This 

 question is of the highest importance, inasmuch as upon the 

 manner in which it shall be settled depends the order of education 

 and merit which will be found among the Professors in future, 

 and the estimation in which they will be held by the public. 



In order to induce men of character to fill the chairs of the 

 University, these latter must be rendered highly independent 

 and respectable. No man who feels (rightly) for himself will 

 face a class of pupils as long as there is anything in the character 

 in which he appears before them to excite any feelings but those 

 of the most entire respect. The pupils all know that there is a 

 body in the University superior to the Professors ; they should 

 also know that this body respects the Professors, and that the 

 fundamental laws of the institution will protect the Professor as 

 long as he discharges his duty, as certainly as they will lead to 

 his ejectment in case of misconduct or negligence. Unless the 

 pupils are well assured of this they will look upon the situation 

 of Professor as of very ambiguous respectability, and they will 



1 I have avoided entering into details, leaving the principles at 

 issue to be inferred from Mr. De Morgan's letter, 



