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found the field of his labours strewed with much remaining lumber of scholastic forms. To these wrecks of exploded pretension many of the Universities of Europe seemed then to cling, with a tenacity which frowned on every hope of improvement. During the professorship of Jardine, more was done to effect a judicious, gradual, and silent revolution in the method of instruction, than was ever done in the incumbency of any individual. By curtailing the course of logic, so as to exclude the useless and endless jargon of the ancient syllogistic method, he secured a place to the elements of intellectual philosophy and of rhetoric. This arrangement, however, made his actual duties laborious in the There devolved on him all the usual routine of lecturing and examining in logic and the other sciences I have mentioned; and, from the low state of the preparatory schools till within a few years of his resignation, he had to train the juvenile division of his class to their very firs: efforts in composition.* In this branch of his charge, his difficulties were great; but his success was remarkable. The heedlessness of youth he checked with a paternal mildness which effected more than all the frowns and the fines of other professors, -equal, perhaps superior, in reputation, but not so happy in a control which had little parade, though a deep and powerful influence. He won and secured attention by the simplicity of his expositions, and the interesting character of his illustrations; and he incited to diligence by the cheering voice of encouragement.

extreme.

The value of knowledge was the grand prize which the professor held up to ambition. In no class in college was there less of that hireling diligence which performs its task, with an eye greedily fixed on the coming honour by which it is to be compensated. His commendations were so judiciously and impartially given, that a word of approbation from Professor Jardine was more highly valued, than the public prizes of some other classes. His reproofs were dreaded, not from their severity, but from the conscious degradation they entailed, in a class-room where every individual thought and felt with his instructer; and where, in the long course of his honoured labours, a murmur of dissatisfaction was never heard. To all his students he applied the highest and the best of motives; but his was not that indolent discharge of duty, which rests satisfied with mere direction or command. He saw that every requirement was fully complied with, and that the indo

In the latter years of Dr Jardine's professorship, the condition of preparatory education in Glasgow was much improved. A private class, connected with the University, was formed for instruction and practice in the rudiments of composition; an extra year, and additional branches, were annexed to the grammar-school course; and an elocution school was conducted by Mr Sheridan Knowles, a very able instructer, and, subsequently, a very popular dramatic writer.

lent and the sluggish never escaped without detection and exposure. So thorough-going were his habits of exaction, that he would leave his chair and go round, from form to form, to inspect personally the exercises he prescribed, and to see that juvenile cunning did not succeed in screening neglect by sly imposition. Much of the professor's success was owing to his keeping his pupils constantly employed. He never permitted the mental powers to become feeble or languid through inaction. Every pupil had as much exacted of him as his abilities were competent to perform. In discipline, Professor Jardine's chief reliance was on the interest which he succeeded in giving to his subject, so as to furnish a constant and pleasing occupation to the mind, and exclude every thing that might divert the attention and lead to misconduct. This method was so completely successful, that, in his class-room, nothing was more rare than a fine or even a reproof for misdemeanor.

The lectures of the professor were delivered at an early hour in the morning, and occupied usually about fifty minutes. In the forenoon, the class was re-assembled to be interrogated on the lecture of the morning, and to furnish compositions on a subject connected with the lecture of a preceding day. The answers to the questions were extemporaneous, and sometimes embraced a recapitulation of a great part of the lecture. The themes were handed to the professor, who daily carried home a certain number to read and criticise. On a subsequent day, these exercises were read by the professor, in presence of the class; and such remarks were made as the merits or defects of the pieces seemed to require. The criticism was very minute, but delivered so mildly as always to cherish hope, and encourage perseverance.

On Saturday forenoon, miscellaneous questions were put to such of the students as volunteered to answer them. Sometimes a definition was proposed. These exercises tended to produce accuracy and readiness of thought, and to facilitate the habit of extemporaneous address. On the same day, it was customary for a certain number of the students to be examined on whatever author they were reading at home. This exercise was, perhaps, the most beneficial of any, and especially to the younger members of the class. It produced a more close and systematic attention to every book that was read; no intimation being given to any pupil of the Saturday on which his account of his reading would be required. The questions put on these occasions, were such as, What is the subject of the work? How is it arranged or divided? What are the author's peculiar views of his subject? What is his style? &c. Besides these regular exercises of the class, every student who chose gave in occasionally a voluntary theme, on a subject connected with that of any lecture. These performances the profes

sor carried home, perused at leisure hours, and returned with written and oral remarks on the correctness of the ideas, and the qualities of the style. The ambitious were thus always sure of reaping a rich reward for their labour, in the commendation of their instructer and the applause of their class-fellows. The latter point was by no means an unimportant one; for the prizes of the class were, as is customary in Glasgow, all awarded by the votes of the students. In the decision of the premiums, the class was arranged in three divisions, according to ages; so that in subjects where so much advantage would otherwise have lain on the side of years and maturity, no unfair disparity was suffered to injure the claims of competitors; and the stimulus to effort was as powerfully applied to boys of fifteen, as to adults.

THE BACHELOR-NO. II.

"We are such stuff as dreams are made of."

Tempest.

Mr Editor, I received the number of your Gazette which contained my maiden essay, with a degree of pleasure, only to be conceived by those who have but lately seen themselves in print for the first time. After contemplating the general appearance of my small contribution, scrutinizing the mechanical execution, and perusing it sundry times, with great satisfaction, I fell naturally into the consideration of the reason of the pleasure experienced by authors of all degrees in the contemplation of their works. At first it seemed to me that it might arise from the expectation of the applause of the world and the consciousness of having made some figure in it; but the secret gratification I bave frequently known to remain, after the former had been completely disappointed, and when the most vain imagination could derive little food from the latter. Again, it may be that the author's heart warms with the hope of better days and more candid posterity. But no person of much reflection can continue long to entertain expectations, which the slightest experience of the ephemeral nature of periodical literature, the proverbial grave of intellect, must demonstrate to be so void of foundation. Why then is such an author pleased? Probably for the same reason that a man likes to see his face in a mirror, or on canvass As there are few among man kind, not to speak of the softer sex, who do not derive occasional gratification from this employment, it would seem reasonable that they should find still greater in re

The method of conferring premiums in the College of Glasgow resembles that of our schools rather than of our Colleges. The prizes are chiefly books, which are distributed by the professors at an annual celebration.

garding the reflection of their minds. But why should any one wish to see his own face? In order to discover how he appears to the world. And why should he wish to know how he appears to the world? The reply to this question led me off into a philosophical reverie, in the course of which I gradually fell fast asleep, as many philosophers of greater note have done in the midst of their reasoning, without being aware of it. The various objects in my room, which had been gradually growing indistinct, as, with heels elevated on the table, I gazed on them "with lack lustre eye," began to assume new forms; a closet door, which was occasionally illuminated by the flickering blaze of the fire, seemed a mirror of large proportions, and a hat-tree by the side of it was transmuted into a tall man, who seemed to be beckoning to a crowd in a distant corner and inviting them to come and see the images of their minds in his glass. The first who advanced was a gentleman above the middle age, who had much the air of a man of learning; his brow bore the traces of the pucker of attention, his shoulders had a learned stoop, and his eyes seemed much the worse for wear by candlelight; arriving opposite the mirror, he adjusted his spectacles with great deliberation, and commenced the examination with the manner of one, who is determined to see the whole of a thing. The image which was reflected seemed to me odd enough,-it appeared to be an assemblage of patches of different colours and textures attached to an original ground of some flimsy stuff without much order or connexion; one was attached over another, so as in some instances nearly to conceal it, and odd ends were sticking out now and then of the under layers, which seemed fast disappearing under the superincumbent ones. The upper of all was very large, so as to hide a part of almost all the rest. While I was staring at this strange medley, the gentleman in spectacles finished his examination, and retreated with a complimental shake of the head, muttering to himself, "Good! comprehensive, undique colligamus." The next who approached was a young lady of an agreeable appearance. The image which presented itself to her view was in a great measure composed of agreeable qualities. I saw some good temper, considerable wit, a tolerable quantity of judgment, and a ready understanding. The image was deformed however by a pretty large spot of envy. I expected the lady would be somewhat mortified by this; but she did not appear to feel any sensation of that kind. I heard her observe as she left her position, "It is certainly on the whole agreeable, and as to that little spot, 1 can't think it will ever be noticed." She was followed by a little man with a high cravat, a slender waist, and the whole apparatus of an exquisite. Bowing, with his hand on his breast, to the proprietor of the mirror, he asked, if he "exhibited the

maynd." The answer was by pointing to the mirror," Well, saar, though these things are not much in my way, I think I will contemplate it;" so saying he advanced to the mirror," "Pon honour, saar! I think I don't see it." "It is here, sir," said the man, pointing to a very small spot on the glass, somewhat resembling those small bodies called nebulæ by astronomers. "Indeed, saar, and is it?" advancing his eye-glass very near the object; "it's not large, saar, but I think it exceedingly well made," and he moved off with an air of mild sufficiency.

It would take too much time to enumerate the variety of persons who appeared in succession. Some had one deformity and some another, but they never seemed to regard it, but universally retired with apparent satisfaction. Amongst others I was somewhat amused to see my old friend the Doctor advance to the mirror. Now whatever the old gentleman's body may be,-and surely that is ordinary enough,-his mind certainly was an agreeable object; it was large, well-proportioned, and stuffed full of good qualities; it was only slightly shaded at a corner with dislike to a neighbouring physician. I could not help exclaiming, as I regarded it, "Really, Doctor, you have a finer mind than I supposed." "The d-- I have," was the reply, in a voice which, with the aid of a smart clap on the shoulder, awaked me at once. "Zounds, man! what are you dreaming of," said the Doctor, for it was he in propria persona. "Sit down, Doctor," replied I, "and you shall have the whole of it." He was mightily amused with the account, and in conclusion admitted the dislike to his neighbour. "What is the matter with him," said I. "Is he a quack?" "No, sir, the man is regular enough." "Is he dishonest?" "Not at all, I believe he is perfectly upright." "Bad tempered?”“No.” “What then is the objection to him?" "Why, sir, he has such a confounded way of wheedling the women, that I can't endure him.”

BENEDICTUS.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

ITALY-A CONFERENCE.

A. Why hast thou such a downward look of care,
As if thine eye refused the sweet communion
Of these enchanted skies?. I cannot weary
In gazing on them, there is such a clearness
In the mid-noon; and then the calmer hours
Have such a glory round them, that I grow
Enamoured of their clouds. O! they have caught
Their hues in Heaven, and they come stealing to us
Like messengers of love to kindle up

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