8 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [The University.
thereof-A few Notable Bequests-Income-The Library-The
OF the four Scottish Universities, the youngest
Museums.
? dormer windows, crowstepped gables, and turret
is Edinburgh, a perfectly Protestant foundation,
as the other three were established under the
Catholic ?-&vie; yet the merit of originating the
idea of academical institutions for the metropolis
is due to Robert Reid, who, in 1558, six years
before the date of Queen Mary?s charter, ?had
bequeathed to the town of Edinburgh the sum of
8,000 merks for the purpose of erecting a University
within the city.? .
In 1566 Queen Mary entered so warmly into the
views of the magistrates as actually to draw up a
charter and provide a competent endowment for
the future college. But the unsettled state of the
realm and the turbulence of the age marred the
fulfilment of her generous desire ; yet the charter
she had prepared, acted, says Bower, in his ?? His
tory,? so powerfully upon her son, James VI., that it
was inserted in the one which is now deemed the
foundation charter of the university, granted by the
king in 1582, with the privilege of erecting houses
for the professors and students. In recalling
the active benefactors of the university, we cannot
omit the names of the Rev. James Lawson, whose
exertions contributed so greatly to the institution
of the famous High School; and of Provost
William Little, and of Clement Little, Commissary of
Edinburgh, the latter of whom gave, in 1580, ?? to
the city and kirk of God,? the whole of his library,
consisting of 300 volumes-a great collection in
those days-it is supposed for the use of the proposed
college.
The teachers at first established by the foundation
were a Principal or Prilliarius, a Professor of
Divinity, four Regents or Masters of Philosophy,
and a Professor of Philology or Humanity.
On the site of the Kirk-of-Field a quaint group
of quadrangular buildings grew up gradually but
rapidly, forming the. old college, which Maitland
describes as having three courts, the southern of
which was occupied on two sides by the classrooms
and professors? houses, and on the others
by the College Hall, the houses of the principal
and resident graduates. A flight of steps led from
this to the western quadrangle, which was rich in
stairs. Here the students then resided. The
eastern quadrangle contained the Convocation
Hall and Library. The gateway was at the head
of the College Wynd, with a lofty bell-tower, and
the first five words of the a7~e in Gothic characters
cut upon its lintel, as it was the original portal to
the Kirk-of-Field.
When Scott completed his education here the
old halls, and solemn, yet in some senses mean,
quadrangles, were an unchanged, as in the days of
James VI. and the Charleses, and exhibited many
quaint legends carved in stone.
The old Library was certainly a large and handsome
room, wherein were shown a skull, said to be
that of George Buchanan ; the original Bohemian
protest against the Council of Constance for burning
John Huss and Jerome of Prague, dated 1417~
with 105 seals attached to it; the original marriage
contract of Queen Mary with the Dauphin ; many
coins, medals, and portraits, which were afterwards
preserved in the new university.
The old college buildings were begun in 1581 ;
and in 1583 the Town Council constituted Mr.
Robert Rollock, then a professor at St. Andrews, a
professor in this university, of which he became
afterwards Rector and Principal, and to which by
the power of his learning he allured many students.
The sum of 61 13s. 4d. was given him to defray
the expenses of his removal to Edinburgh, where he
began to teach on the 11th of October, when public
notice was given ? that students desirous of instruction
shall give up their names to a bailie, who
shall take order for their instruction.?
As there was then no other teacher but himself,
he was compelled to put all the students into one
class. ?? He soon felt, however, that this was impracticable,?
says Bower, ?so as to do justice to
the young men committed to his care. After having
made this experiment, he was obliged to separate
them into two classes. The progress which
they made was very different, and a considerable
number of them were exceedingly deficient in a
knowledge of the Latin language.?
On his recommendation a Mr. Duncan Nairn
