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of Edinburgh^ Sessio7i 1864-65. 
James Pillans, M.A, LL.D., Professor of Humanity in the 
University of Edinburgh, was born at Edinburgh in 1779, and 
died on 27th March 1864, at the advanced age of eighty-five. 
His father was a printer in Edinburgh, and he was educated there. 
He attended the High School when Dr Adam was Hector, and at 
the annual -examination in 1792 he ranked next to Francis Horner, 
who tlien carried off the highest honours. After a distinguished 
career in Edinburgh University, he became tutor in the family of 
Mr Kennedy of Dunure, and afterwards in a family in Northumber- 
land, finally settling in Eton as a private tutor. On the death of Dr 
Adam, in 1809, Pillans became a candidate for the office of Hector 
in the High School, and he was ably supported by Francis Homel- 
and other influential friends who knew his merits as a scholar and 
a teacher. On the 24th January 1810, he was unanimously elected 
to the office by the Town Council. His long residence in England, 
and his intimate acquaintance with the course of study pursued in 
the great schools in that country, rendered his appointment of no 
small importance to his native city. He continued to discharge the 
duties of the office for upwards of ten years in so able a manner as 
to attract the attention of educationists both at home and abroad. 
During his tenure of office, the numbers in the class were doubled. 
The death of Professor Christison, in June 1820, having occasioned 
a vacancy in the Humanity Chair of the University, Mr Pillans was 
unanimously elected by the patrons as his successor. For a period 
of more than forty years he discharged the duties of this office. 
His advancing years called for relaxation, and he resigned his pro- 
fessorship in 1863. 
During the whole of his long life, Mr Pillans devoted himself 
with all the energy and fervour of his nature — and these were 
great — to the elevation of the elementary and higher education of 
this country. By speech, writing, and example he endeavoured 
unceasingly to promote the views which he had adopted or origin- 
ated ; and to no man in Scotland is the progress which has been 
made in rational methods of teaching and in exalted views of school 
discipline more indebted than to Professor Pillans. During his 
long career, first as Hector of the High School of Edinburgh, from 
1810 to 1820, and afterwards as Professor of Humanity, from 1820 to 
1863, he is universally and gratefully acknowledged to have been 
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