273 
of Edinburgh, Session 1873-74. 
sympathies outgrew the adverse influences of a sunless childhood. 
And his doctrines in metaphysics and ethics sometimes, I think, 
unconsciously recognise principles which break the logical sym- 
metry of his professed Utilitarianism and philosophy of Custom 
and Association, producing, as in the case of Locke and others, 
an ambiguity in the exposition of his most important conclusions. 
As Sir James Mackintosh suggests of David Hume, it would indeed 
be a matter of wonder if his esteem for moral excellence should not 
at least have led him to envy those who are able to contemplate 
the perfection of excellence in the Supreme Reason that is accepted 
by them as the support of their lives, and the all-reconciling unity 
of existence. 
2. Obituary Notes of the Eev. Dr Guthrie. By the Rev. Dr 
Lindsay Alexander. 
Dr Thomas Guthrie was a native of Brechin, where he was born 
on the 12th of July 1803. His father, David Guthrie, was one of 
the principal merchants in that ancient city, and long occupied an 
influential position in it, being versant in all its affairs, and for 
several years holding the place of chief magistrate. Thomas was 
his sixth son. Having received a sound elementary education 
under different teachers in Brechin and the vicinity, Thomas 
was, at the early age of twelve, entered as a student in the Uni- 
versity of Edinburgh ; and there, for ten consecutive sessions, he 
continued prosecuting studies through the prescribed curriculum 
in arts and divinity, with the addition of certain branches of natural 
science, to which he spontaneously betook himself. In 1825 he 
received from the Presbytery of Brechin license as a preacher, and 
began forthwith to preach as occasion presented itself. Shortly 
after he was offered the presentation to an important charge, but 
as the offer was clogged with conditions which appeared to him to 
threaten his independence of thought and action he declined it; 
and no other professional opening appearing he went to Paris, 
where, for the best part of a year, he prosecuted medical studies at 
the Sorbonne, attending the lectures of Gay-Lussac, Thenard, and 
St Hilaire, and witnessing surgical operations by Dupuytren and 
Lisfranc at the hospitals. On his return home, being still dis- 
