1832-37. PRINCIPAL'S INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 43 



me from nine to two or three in the morning to study the sub- 

 jects of lecture. With anatomy, surgery, and materia medica, 

 I find my time fully taken up through the whole week. They 

 are glorious studies : the first I have long admired ; the two 

 latter are almost wholly new to me ; not that I have not been 

 more or less for the last two years of my life occupied in the 

 minor duties of both, but I never conceived that the laws of 

 either were so curious and interesting. I find my mental facul- 

 ties most agreeably and usefully employed in the study and 

 observation of the singular phenomena of both. Forgive me, if, 

 in the above lines, I appear to be too egotistical, but I believe 

 that in corresponding with an intimate friend it can scarcely be 

 avoided ; and an account of your own feelings, and pursuits, or 

 productions, will be far more interesting to me than the most 

 detailed accounts of all that takes place at the Broomielaw. 

 But I have no fear of being troubled with news of the latter 

 description ; and no professional duties will prevent me from 

 enjoying and answering your letters, for though my time is well 

 employed during most part of the week, yet I have Saturday 

 evening to myself, and therefore no excuse for neglecting you. 



" On the last Saturday of November, the College was officially 

 opened by the Right Reverend Principal, a practice always fol- 

 lowed in the English Universities, and which would have been 

 adopted in the Scotch metropolitan University also, had there 

 been a room large enough to contain the whole number of stu- 

 dents. The students assembled in the hall of the library, and 

 listened to a wonderfully erudite discourse from his reverence. 

 I quote to you a passage from it, not pledging myself that the 

 words I employ were those used by the Principal, but that the 

 sentiments are faithfully preserved. 



" ' Young gentlemen, there is one practice which I feel it is 

 my duty to check a practice which is very improper in itself, 

 and which I am convinced you only practise because too little 

 attention is paid to it in preparatory schools : it is that of making 

 balls of snotv.' The students had all been listening with deep 

 attention to the sage admonitory preface ; but when, instead of 

 animadverting on any flagitious practice, or blaming swearing, 

 etc., the Principal's only intention was found to be to correct the 



