28 Proceedings of the 



ments of office. Grounds have been purchased, plans framed, 

 and everything but the execution seems progressing. Nay, 

 more, Government, unsolicited, as far as has appeared, by any 

 of the representatives of Scottish Colleges, Scottish industry, 

 or Scottish science, and without a precedent in any of the 

 usually more highly-favoured towns of the empire, gave to 

 Edinburgh a " Regius Professor of Technology," and bestowed 

 the chair on the Curator of the Industrial Museum. Multi- 

 tudes wondered what this title could mean, what subjects 

 would be discussed, what science would be selected for appli- 

 cation, what arts for illustration. The older Professors, it is 

 understood, are still to point out the practical application of 

 those branches which they teach, while the technologist is to 

 limit his enterprise to the uncultivated spots, so that collision 

 may thus be avoided. As intimately connected with the sub- 

 ject we have just been considering, I may mention that the 

 late Professor Forbes had begun to place the Museum of the 

 University in a condition more favourable for study, and was 

 disposed to render the specimens more accessible to the stu- 

 dents of Natural History. His successor has entered upon his 

 duties evidently cherishing the same high-minded, liberal 

 views. Hence, what we looked forward to, or rather trem- 

 blingly hoped for, six years ago, we are now on the eve of seeing 

 realized. If we had done nothing else in our day than origi- 

 nated and accelerated the movement which has produced the 

 changes above referred to, our existence as a philosophical as- 

 sociation has not been unprofitable. 



Several articles have of late appeared in the newspapers, 

 calling the attention of the Edinburgh public to an abuse of 

 a bequest for a scientific purpose, unparalleled perhaps in the 

 history of corporation jobs. It appears that a sum of money, 

 exceeding £1500, was received by the Magistrates of Edin- 

 burgh in 1821, from the funds of the late Dr Thomson of Pa- 

 lermo, for the endowment of a Lectureship for the promotion 

 of Mineralogy in the University. Conditions were prescribed 

 and accepted, — his minerals and cabinets were secured. But 

 to this hour these conditions have been evaded — no lectureship 

 has been instituted, — the funds have been misapplied ; thus 

 leaving the lovers of mineralogy, of which we have several in 



