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of Edinburgh, Session 1870 - 71 . 
for tlie support of the chair, a fixed income of £450. I believe 
there is in existence a separate yearly sum of £35, hitherto drawn 
by the Professor of Natural History, and which, in the event of a 
separate Professorship being established for geology and mineralogy, 
was appointed to be transferred to the latter. This bequest was 
made a number of years ago by a Scottish gentleman named 
Thomson, who died at Palermo. 
Before taking leave of this subject, I wish to draw attention to 
the fact that in the other Universities of Scotland the same incon- 
venience exists, which is about to be remedied in Edinburgh ; and 
perhaps I maybe permitted to express from this chair a hope, that 
in them also, means maybe found, for removing that inconvenience. 
I was glad to observe, that the Lord Rector of Aberdeen University, 
in an address delivered by him about ten days ago, took notice 
of the multifarious branches of instruction which the Professor of 
Natural History has there to teach, and is unable to overtake. Mr 
Grant Duff is a member of the present Government, so that I trust 
he will call the Premier’s attention to the subject. The chair of 
Natural History at Aberdeen was established by the Crown, and its 
occupant is appointed by the Crown. I presume the design and 
intention of the Crown was, that geology, and the other recognised 
branches of Natural History, should be taught in that University. 
Therefore if, in consequence of the extension and growth of these 
branches, it has become impossible for any one man to give in- 
struction in all, there seems to be a sort of moral obligation on 
the Crown to carry out its own intention and undertaking, by 
appointing separate Professors for these branches. 
These remarks apply equally to the two other Universities of 
Glasgow and St Andrews ; the latter, however, viz., St Andrews, 
presenting an additional evil of its own, viz., the anomaly, that the 
Professor of Natural History has to lecture on Civil History besides. 
It humbly appears to me that there should be no great diffi- 
culty, both at St Andrews and at Glasgow, of providing means 
for remedying the evils to which I have been adverting. The 
Government gives aid to schools to an equal extent with funds 
supplied locally for their support, even when these schools are 
of an elementary character, and supply instruction only for a 
parish. Much more must Government be disposed to assist when 
