24 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [University.
Thoma Elder : Academire Primario Gulielmo Rabertson.
Architecto, Roberto Adam."
The ranges of buildings around the inner court
are in a plain but tasteful Grecian style, and have
an elegant stone balustrade, forming a kind of
paved gallery, which is interrupted only by the
entrance, and by flights of steps that lead to the
library, museum, the Senzte Hall, and various
class-rooms. At the angles on the west side are
spacious arcade piazzas, and in the centre is a fine
statue of Sir David Brewster.
At the Treaty of Union with England, and
when the Act of Security was passed, all the Acts
passed by the Scottish Parliament, defining the
rights, privileges, and imniunities of this and the
other universities of Scotland, were fully ratified ;
but its privileges and efficiency have been since
augmented by the Scottish Universities Act,
passed in 1858, making provision for their better
government and discipline, and for the improvement
and regulation of the course of study
therein.
It is now a corporation consisting of a chancellor,
who is elected for life by the General
Council, whose sanction must be given to all internal
arrangements, and through whom degrees
are conferred, and the first of whom was Lord
Brougham ; a vice-chancellor, who acts in absence
of :he former, and who has the duty of acting as
returning officer at Parliamentary elections, an3
the first of whom was Sir David Brewster; a
rector, who is elected by the matriculated students,
and whose term of office is three years, and among
whom have been William Ewart Gladstone, Thomas
Carlyle, Lord Moncneff, Sir W. Stirling-Maxwell,
and others ; a representative in Parliament, elected
in common with the University of St. Andrewsthe
first M.P. being Dr. Lyon Playfair.
After these come the university court, which
has the power of reviewing all the decisions of the
Senatus Academicus, the attention of professors as
to their modes, of teaching, Szc, the regulation of
class fees, the suspension and censure of professors,
the control of the pecuniary concerns of the
university, " including funds mortified for bursaries
and other purposes."
This court holds the patronage of the Chair of
Music, and a share in that of Agriculture, and it
consists of the rector, the principal, and six
assessors, one of whom is elected by the Town
CGuncil.
By the Act of 1858 the patronage of seventeen
cliairs, previously in the gift of the latter body,
was transferred to seven curators, who hold office
for three years. They also have the appointment
of the principal, who is the resident head of the
college for life.
He, with the whole of the professors, constitutes
the Senate, which is entrusted with the entire administration
of the university-its revenues, property,
library, museums, and buildings, &c.; and the business
is conducted by a secretary.
The chairs of the university are comprehended
in the four faculties, each of which is presided over
by a dean, elected from among the professors of
each particular faculty, and through whom the students
recommended for degrees are presented to
the Senatus.
The following is a list of the principals elected
since 1582, all of them famoils in literature or
art :-
1585. Robert Rollock.
1599. Henry Charteris.
1620. Patrick Sands.
1622. Robert Boyd.
1623. John Adamson.
1652. Williain Colville.
1653. Robert Leighton. '
1662. William Colville.
1675. Andrew Cant.
1685. Alexander Monro.
1690. Gilbert Rule.
1703. William Carstares.
1716. William Wishart.
1730. William Hamilton.
1732. James Smith.
1736. William Wishart recunlfus.
1754. John Gowdie.
1762. Willmm Robertson.
1793. Geo. Husband Baird.
1840. John Lee.
1859. Sir David Brewster.
1868. Sir Alex. Grant, Bart.
To attempt to enumerate all the brilliant alumni
who in their various Faculties have shed a glory
over the University of Edinburgh, would far
exceed our limits ; but an idea of its progress in
literature, science, and art, may be gathered from the
following enumeration of the professorships, with
the dates when founded, and the names of the first
ho!der of the chairs.
Those of Greek, Logic and Metaphysics, Moral
and Natural Philosophy, were occupied by the
regents in rotation from 1583, when Robert Rollock
was first Regent, till 1708.
3 FmuZzy of Arts.
Humanity, 1597. John Ray, Professor.
Mathematics, 1674. James Gregory.
Greek, 1708. William Scott.
Logic and Metaphysics, 1708.
Moral Philosophy, 1708. William Law.
Natural Philosophy, 1708. Robert Stewart.
Rhetoric, 1762. Hugh Blair.
Astronomy, 1786. Robert Biair.
Agriculture, 1790. Andrew Coventry.
Theory of Music, 1839. John Thornson.
Technology, 1855. George Wilson. (Abolished 18.59.)
Sanskrit, 1862. Theodor Aufrecht.
Engineering, 1868. Iileeming Jenkin.
Commercial Economy, 1871.
Education, 1876. Simon Lnurie.
Fine Arts, 1880. Baldwin Rrown.
Gmlogr~, 1871. Archibald Geikie.
Colin Druniinoiid.
W. B. Hodgson.
