618 MR small's biographical SKETCH OF PROF. ADAM FERGUSON. 



deprived of his office, Avithout any requisition given him to attend, without any 

 communication previously made to the Principal, or any members of the Univer- 

 sity, but the intention of depriving him kept profoundly secret till the moment of 

 its execution, does not this plainly indicate that the Town Council did not seek 

 to bring back Mr Ferguson to the discharge of his office, but had formed a design 

 to turn him out with a view to bestow his office on another ? and can such 

 violent and unjust proceedings towards an eminent Professor and a respectable 

 University be warranted by law ? " * 



These grounds of objection to the harsh measure of the Town Council were 

 embodied by Ferguson, in an application to the Court of Session for a bill of 

 suspension of the sentence of deprivation,! which had the desired effect of 

 causing the Council to rescind their act, and restore the Professor to the peace- 

 able enjoyment of his office. 



The tour which Ferguson made with his pupil Lord Chesterfield through 

 France and other parts of the Continent, although it brought about this disagree- 

 able quarrel with the Town Council, proved highly advantageous to his improve- 

 ment. In a letter to his friend Adam Smith, he thus describes the pleasure 



which his appointment afforded him, 



" Geneva, June Is^, 1774. 



" My Dear Smith. — You see I have taken full benefit of the time you allowed 

 me to form my opinion of this situation, and have the pleasure to inform you 

 it is in most material circumstances very agreeable. I was received with great 

 politeness, and continue to be treated with sufficient marks of regard. I have 

 found not only vivacity and parts as I was made to expect, but likewise good 

 dispositions and attachments, servants all of an old standing, and become friends 

 without any improper influence or disorder that I have yet observed. I was 

 made to expect great jealousy of control, and set out with a resolution to employ 

 no other than what a sense of my great regard might give me. It is likely that 

 a person of a different character was expected, and the disappointment, I believe, 

 has had a good effect. My journey hither furnished no adventures worth 

 relating. My Lord Stanhope's being at Paris gave me access, for the few days I 

 stayed, to some very respectable and agreeable company, in which I was, ques- 

 tioned concerning you, particularly by the Duchess D'Enville, who complained 

 of your French, as she did of mine, but said that before you left Paris she 

 had the happiness to learn your language. I likewise met with your friend, 

 Count Sarsfield, to whom I had great obligations, and if you write I beg that 

 you will thank him, &c. &c. Adam Ferguson.":}: 



Ferguson, and his pupil Lord Chesterfield, after residing for some time at 

 Geneva, returned to London in the Spring of 1775, and the following interesting 



* 



MSS. University, Edinburgh. f Ably drawn up by Ilay Campbell, afterwards Lord President. 



+ Ibid. 



