of Edinburgh, Session 1875 - 76 . 
213 
On his return to Scotland he commenced practice as a civil 
engineer in Glasgow, in partnership with Mr Lawrence Hill. 
In 1840 the Government determined to establish a professorship 
of civil engineering in the University of Glasgow, for which Gordon 
became a candidate, and so high were his recommendations that 
he received the appointment. There can be no doubt that at so 
young an age, and with the strict sense of duty which ever animated 
him, Gordon felt the task of organising the new chair to be one 
that called forth all his energies. No man could be more fully 
alive to the importance of his new office, or knew better the large 
amount of knowledge — scientific and practical — that was required 
of its occupant, and his sensitive mind felt the responsibility he 
had undertaken very keenly. But he had a spirit that was not 
easily daunted by difficulties, and in anticipation of his appointed 
work he produced the syllabus of a course of study, embracing a 
very wide field of engineering, under the following general heads:— 
The Mechanical Effect produced by Forces and its Measure. 
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Materials. 
Results of Experiments on the Resistance of Materials. 
Friction. 
Doctrine of Mechanics. 
Animal-power and its Recipient Machines. 
Water-power and its Recipient Machines. 
Steam-power and the Steam-engine. 
After delivering his lectures he had the satisfaction to find that 
he had got through the first session with comfort to himself and 
profit to his pupils. 
It may here be noticed that the skeleton syllabus of his opening 
course of lectures was afterwards, in more matured form, published 
in 1847, under the unassuming title of “ Engineering Aphorisms 
and Memoranda,” and ultimately, in 1849, with further additions, 
it was published, under the title of “ A Synopsis of Lectures on 
Civil Engineering and Mechanics.” 
He, however, knew that he had to make his professional character 
as an engineer, and that this was not possible were all his energies 
to be given to his professorial duties, and therefore, during the 
time he occupied the chair, he invariably, when the session was 
completed, devoted his whole time to the practice of his profession 
