44 
MEMOIR OP DR. WALKER. 
to his political services, performed or to be per- 
formed, when writing to Mr. Dundas. Bnt the in- 
fluence of Sir Laurence, who was engaged on the 
other side, and the politics of Stirlingshire, in which 
the family of Home too were involved, prevailed for 
Dr. Walker, and he carried the day. 
But the Doctor's troubles were not yet at an end, 
when he was installed in the professorship ; Mr. 
Smellie resumed his plan of giving lectures on the 
philosophy of natural history, and proposed com- 
mencing his course under the auspices of the Anti- 
quarian Society, whose secretary he was, and in 
their hall. Upon receiving this information, Dr. 
Walker immediately addressed the Earl of Buchan, 
president of the Society. 
“ Moffat, 14 til September, 1680. 
“ My Lord, — I received the honour of yours of 
the 10th inst., concerning Mr. Smellie. I find, 
what I suppose your lordship has not been informed 
of, that under the title of Keeper of the Museum of 
the Antiquarian Society, his design is to give lec- 
tures on natural history. I should never object to 
any person doing this as an individual ; but to do it 
under the protection of a numerous society, contain- 
ing so many respectable members, is what, to be 
sure, I cannot see without some regret. 
“ That private teachers, for their own interest, 
should pursue plans of this sort, is not at all sur- 
prising ; but surely neither I nor the university of 
Edinburgh merit such an opposition from any pub- 
