the university of st andrews matriculation roill

8/6/2019 The University of St Andrews Matriculation Roill

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The

Matriculation Roll

OF THE

1747-1897

EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND INDEX, BY

JAMES MAITLAND ANDERSON

LIBRARIAN TO THE UNIVERSITY

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONSEDINBURGH AND LONDON

MCMV sied Kz^%%^

PREFACE.

The present publication is one of a series of volumes inwhich it is proposed to publish the Matriculation andGraduation Rolls, as well as other historical records, ofthe University of St Andrews, from its foundation to withinthree years of the close of the nineteenth century. Thescheme has been in contemplation for more than twentyyears, and nearly all the necessary lists and documentshave been transcribed; but pressure of official work andother considerations have prevented a start being made withthe editing and printing until recently. For various reasonsit has been found expedient to begin with one of the latestvolumes. It will be followed by one of the earliest ; andthereafter the remaining volumes will be issued as nearlyas possible in chronological order. But as the Rolls arein places both confused and defective, and require to besupplemented from other sources, they must be taken upin the order which seems likely to ensure the greatest ac-curacy and completeness. Each volume will be completein itself, with introduction, text, and index; but the unityof the series as a whole will be maintained. When finished,


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it is confidently believed that the series will not only pro-vide materials for an exhaustive history of the Universityof St Andrews, but will form a valuable contribution toacademical history generally, besides yielding helpful in-formation to workers in all departments of Scottish his-

vi PREFACE

tory. As the University is now within a few years ofcelebrating the five-hundredth anniversary of its founda-tion, the time appears to be opportune for placing its moreimportant records before the public; and it is to be hopedthat the scheme, now somewhat tardily inaugurated, willreceive such encouragement as will secure its being carriedout in its entirety with the least possible delay.

In the preparation of this volume I have received much

useful assistance from my two daughters. The elder ofthem wrote out, or typed, nearly the whole matter for theprinter, while the younger helped with the checking of theindex, and in other ways. I am also very much indebtedto Mr John Johnstone Smith, sub-librarian to the Univer-sity, whose painstaking and skilful reading of the proofsand comparison of them with the original manuscripthave saved the volume from many misreadings and typo-graphical errors. So far only three slight mistakes havebeen discovered that remain uncorrected in the text, andtwo of them have already been corrected in the index.They were all the result of relying too implicitly on officialprinted class-lists. Finally, it would be ungrateful not toacknowledge here the constant interest which PrincipalDonaldson has taken in the progress of this volumethrough the press, as well as his kindness in reading theproof-sheets of the Introduction.

J. MAITLAND ANDERSON.

University Library, St Andrews,12nd June 1905.

CONTENTS.

introduction-period and Subjects dealt withThe University :

Constitution

Comitia

Senatus Academicus

Faculties of Arts and Divinity


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University Court .

General Council .

Faculties of Medicine and Science

Chancellor

Vice-Chancellor .

Rector

Matriculation

Curriculum of StudyThe United College :

Proposals for Union

Reasons for Union

Act of Union

Professorships

Lectureships

Assistantships

Bursaries .

Scholarships

Prizes

College Buildings .

College Hall

Hall of Residence for Women

Laboratories

College Church .

xnxiixiixiiixiiixivxv

XV

xvixviixxii


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xxiv

xxvi

xxvii

xxviii

xxix

xxxiv

xxxvii

xxxviii

xxxix

xl

xl

xlvi

xlvii

xlvii

xlviii

Vlll

CONTENTS

St Mary's College :

Foundation and Re-Foundation

Professorships

College Buildings

Prayer Hall

Bursaries .

Students' Rooms .

Prizes and Scholarships

Class Fees.

Divinity Session .

Irregular Students


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Church AttendanceUniversity College, Dundee :

Foundation

Incorporation with the University

Matriculation of Science StudentsThe Matriculation AlbumsMethod of editing the RollMethod of compiling the IndexDefects in the RollNumber of Matriculated StudentsThe Illustrations .

li

lii

liii

liv

lv

lvi

lvi

lvii

lvii

lvii

lviii

lix

lix

Ix

lxi

lxii

lxiv

lxvi

lxvii

lxviii

Chancellors, 1747-1897


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Vice-Chancellors, 1859-1897Rectors, 1747-1897 .Principals and Professors, 1747- 1897University Lecturers, 1892-1897Gifford Lecturers, 1888- 1897University Assistants, 1892- 1897

Matriculation Statistics, 1747-1897

Ixix

lxix

lxx

Ixxiv

Ixxxiv

Ixxxv

lxxxv

lxxxvii

MATRICULATION ROLLINDEX TO ROLL

337

ILLUSTRATIONS.

THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY IN 189I .

From a Photograph by A. Downie, St Andrews.

THE UNITED COLLEGE IN 1 767

From a Drawing by John Oliphant, St A ndrews.

THE UNITED COLLEGE IN 189O

From a Photograph by J. Valentine, Dundee.

st mary's college in 1767

From a Drawing by John Olifhant, St Andrews.

st mary's college in 1901

From a Photograph by J. Fairweather, St Andrews,


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FrontispieceBetween pp.xxvi, xxvii

J,li

INTRODUCTION.

The portion of the Matriculation Roll contained in thepresent volume covers the last of three well-defined periodsinto which the history of the University of St Andrews

may conveniently be divided. The first extends from thefoundation of the University in 1411 to the completion ofits reformation by the restriction of St Mary's College tothe teaching of Divinity in 1579 ; the second extends fromthat fundamental change to the union of the Colleges of StSalvator and St Leonard in 1747 ; while the third extendsfrom the amalgamation of those two ancient Colleges tothe final incorporation of an entirely new one in 1897. Thelast was perhaps not the most stirring and eventful of thesethree periods, but it was a time of much activity, of manyvicissitudes, and latterly of renewed vigour and expansion.In the limited space allotted to this Introduction only themerest outline of the story of this century and a half canbe told, and much that would be worth recording mustbe passed over altogether. Thus, the personal element ofthe story must be wholly omitted. Biographical sketchesof the more distinguished Principals and Professors woulddoubtless have been acceptable to many readers, but roomcan only be found for a bare list of names and dates. Norcan matters relating to graduation in the different Facultiesbe touched upon. The various alterations that have takenplace in the manner of conferring degrees and in the coursesof study required for them must be left over until the

1 The foundation charter is dated 28th February 1411-12, but the Universityhad been in active existence for some months previously.

b

xii CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY

Graduation Roll for the period comes to be printed. Inlike manner questions relating to administration and tothe complicated financial arrangements of the Universityand its Colleges cannot be referred to, while those affectingconstitution and government can only be dealt with sum-marily. Such topics in any case did not much concernthe students who matriculated during these years. Theywere more interested in the subjects taught within theCollege class-rooms, in the order of the curriculum, in


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Bursaries, Scholarships, and Prizes, in their rights andprivileges as cives of a university, in the academical andsocial life of the place, and in their own special organisa-tions for intellectual and physical culture. And it is there-fore to such points as these that the following observationsare in the main confined.

THE UNIVERSITY.

As an academical body, the University, in 1747, consistedof the Chancellor, Rector, Principals of Colleges, Professors,and matriculated Students. In 1897 its composition wasthe same, with the addition of registered Graduates andAlumni. But its organisation had undergone a completechange notwithstanding this apparently slight accession toits component parts. In 1747 the bodies entitled to meetand transact business were the Comitia, the Senatus

Academicus, the two Colleges, the Faculty of Arts, andsuch committees as might from time to time be appointed.The Comitia consisted of the Rector, Principals, Professors,and Students. A meeting of the Comitia was thus ageneral assembly of the resident members of the Universityfor the time being, and its special function was the electionof the Rector. The Senatus Academicus consisted of thePrincipals and Professors of both Colleges, and had thegeneral management of all academical affairs, besides ad-ministering the property and funds of the University asa corporation distinct from the Colleges. The Senatus

THE UNIVERSITY COURT xiii

also acted as a Rectorial Court in matters of Universitydiscipline ; but it did so not of its own right but becauseit had become customary for the Rector, at his election,to nominate all its other members as his assessors. TheUniversity derived no revenue directly from the Colleges,but the Senatus had the power of assessing them for whatwere deemed general University purposes, such as theupkeep of the Library and the payment of Universityofficers. The Colleges were corporations distinct from,and independent of, the University in all that pertained tomatters of business. Each held its own meetings, managedits own property, appointed its own officials, and exerciseddiscipline over its members subject to an appeal to theRectorial Court. The Faculty of Arts was composed ofthe Principal and Professors of the United College, andwas presided over by a Dean elected annually from withinthe Faculty. It administered its own revenues and re-tained to some extent its ancient power of grantingdegrees in Arts independently of the Senatus Academicus.The Faculty of Divinity had long been merged in St Mary'sCollege, the Principal thereof being regarded as permanentDean.

These constitutional arrangements underwent very littlechange until 1858, when the University Court and theGeneral Council were instituted. The University Court


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at first consisted of six members viz., the Rector, thesenior Principal, and four Assessors one nominated bythe Chancellor and another by the Rector, one elected bythe General Council and another by the Senatus Academicus.It was empowered to review all decisions of the SenatusAcademicus, and to be a Court of appeal from the Senatus ;

to effect improvements in the internal arrangements ofthe University, with the sanction of the Chancellor, andafter due communication with the Senatus and the GeneralCouncil; to require due attention on the part of the Pro-fessors to the duties imposed upon them ; to fix and regulateclass-fees; to censure or suspend a Principal or Professor,or, if necessary, deprive him of his office, subject to the

xiv THE GENERAL COUNCIL

approval of the Queen in Council ; and to inquire into and

control the administration by the Senatus and Collegesof all their pecuniary concerns, including funds mortifiedfor bursaries and other purposes. 1 The membership of theCourt was largely increased and its powers were greatlyextended by the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889. TheCourt was then made a body corporate with perpetualsuccession and a common seal, and in it was vested allthe property, heritable and movable, formerly belongingto the University and Colleges. 2 The Court thus becamethe supreme governing body in the University, and to itmuch of the business formerly transacted by the Senatuswas transferred, while the Colleges were deprived of nearlyall their administrative powers, and became little more thancommittees of the Court and of the Senatus.

The General Council instituted by the Act of 1858 re-ceived no executive powers. It could only take into con-sideration questions affecting the wellbeing and prosperityof the University and make representations on them tothe University Court. 3 Although its functions were notenlarged by the Act of 1889, the Council obtained increasedrepresentation in the University Court and greater freedomof action in dealing with questions of academical policy asthey arose. 4 The Council was at first a purely academicalbody, and was composed of the Chancellor, the membersof the University Court, the Professors, and such Graduatesand Alumni as were entitled by the Act to membership. In1868 the Council became a political constituency, havingsecured the right of electing a member of Parliament con-jointly with the General Council of the University ofEdinburgh. At the same time its membership was thrownopen to all classes of non-honorary graduates, who on pay-ment of a registration fee of one pound became entitledto life membership. 6 In 1881 the payment of this registra-tion fee was made compulsory, so that the General Councilwas thenceforth intended to consist of the entire body ofliving graduates, both male and female, whose degrees were

1 Universities (Scotland) Act, 1858, sects. 8, 12. 2 Ibid., 1889, sects. 5,6.

3 Ibid., 1858, sect. 6. Ibid., 1889, sect. 8. 3I & 32 Vict. cap. 48.'


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THE CHANCELLOR xv

gained by examination, in addition to the Chancellor, the

members of the University Court and Senatus Academicus,and a few Alumni who were admitted under the originalconstitution of the Council. 1

A Faculty of Medicine came into existence in 1862, 2 anda Faculty of Science in 1897, in which year the compositionof the three other Faculties underwent revision. 3 TheSenatus Academicus had for a long time assumed entirecontrol of the conferring of degrees, so that the powers ofthe Faculties (including the Faculty of Arts) were confinedto recommending to the Senatus such candidates as theydeemed qualified for graduation.

From the earliest times the official head of the Universityhad been the Chancellor occasionally designated the LordChancellor. Previous to the Reformation the Bishops andArchbishops of St Andrews were, in accordance with theusual practice among Universities confirmed by Papal Bull,recognised as Chancellors ex officio. This practice was alsokept up when Episcopacy happened to be in the ascendantin Scotland between the Reformation and the Revolution.It is not quite clear how the lay Chancellors who alternatedwith the later Archbishops were elected, but at least oneof them the Earl of Montrose appears to have beenappointed by the King, at the time of a visitation of theUniversity on 15th July 1599. 4 F r some years after theRevolution the office remained vacant ; but from 1697 to1858 Chancellors were regularly elected by the SenatusAcademicus, which in no single instance chose a Church-man for that exalted office. The Universities (Scotland)Act of 1858 transferred the election from the SenatusAcademicus to the newly constituted General Council ofthe University, of which body the Chancellor was madepresident. The Chancellorship of the University has longbeen a life appointment. 5

Under the original constitution of the University the

1 44 & 45 Vict. cap. 40. 2 Ordinance No. 19, sect. 25.

3 Ordinance No. 48. * Evidence, vol. iii., 1837, p. 199.

5 In one case the Chancellor was held to have vacated the office by leavingthecountry. See list of Chancellors, p. lxix.

xvi THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

primary function of the Chancellor was to confer degreesupon persons found qualified for them in any of theFaculties. But over and above this statutory duty manyof the resident Chancellors took part in the actual manage-ment of the University. They were constantly consulted


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in matters of doubt and difficulty, and they even at timestook the initiative in regulating both University andCollege affairs. Latterly, although the Chancellor retainedhis position as head of the University, and was still con-sidered its fountain of honour, it was not required that heshould reside within its precincts or even in its vicinity,

or that he should take any active share in its governmentor discipline. He continued, however, to be consulted onall matters bearing upon the welfare of the University, andwas also looked upon as conservator of its privileges, anoffice held at one time by the Archdeacon of St Andrews. 1By the Act of 1858 the Chancellor's authority was furtherextended by the provision that all improvements effected inthe internal arrangements of the University must receivehis sanction.

It very seldom happened that the Chancellor found itconvenient to confer degrees in person. This part ofhis duty was almost invariably performed by his deputy,

the Vice- Chancellor, when there was one, or by a Promotorappointed by the University when there was no Vice-Chancellor. At the union of the Colleges in 1747 theoffice of Vice-Chancellor was vacant. The Duke of Cum-berland, who had been elected Chancellor in the previousyear, was informed that it would be universally acceptableto the University if His Royal Highness would be pleasedto re-appoint Provost Young, the previous Vice-Chancellor,to the office. But the Duke was apparently too busy withhis military campaign to attend to so small a matter, andno appointment was made during his tenure of office. Sometime after the Earl of Kinnoull's election to the Chancellor-ship he was requested to nominate a Vice-Chancellor, buthe declined to do so, preferring that " things should go on

1 Evidence, p. 258.

THE RECTOR

xvii

in the same manner as formerly." And so they did go onuntil 23rd December 1859 when, in conformity with theUniversities (Scotland) Act of 1858, the Duke of Argyllappointed Principal Tulloch Vice- Chancellor. With theexception of a few weeks in 1862, when Principal Forbeswas Vice-Chancellor, Principal Tulloch held the office tillhis death in 1886. He was succeeded in the same year byPrincipal Donaldson, the only other Vice-Chancellor duringthe period under consideration. So completely did theoffice of Vice-Chancellor disappear from the Universitythat for more than a hundred years no allusion was madeto it in the preamble of diplomas issued to graduates.During all that time degrees were conferred by the Rector,acting in the capacity of Promotor. If the Rector happenedto be absent, or indisposed, when a degree fell to be con-


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ferred, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, or some othermember of the University, was chosen Promotor for theparticular occasion. In i860 the Vice-Chancellor resumedhis ancient function of conferring degrees, and the termPromotor very soon passed out of use except as a con-venient (and quite legitimate 1 ) designation of the Dean,

or other Professor, who presents the graduands of hisFaculty to the Vice-Chancellor for their degrees.

From 1747 to 1859 the resident head of the Universityand president of the Senatus Academicus was the Rector frequently, but seldom officially, called the Lord Rector.From 1859 to 1889 these offices devolved, ex officio, uponthe senior Principal in the University, and from 1890 on-wards upon the Principal of the United College who, underthe Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889, became also Princi-pal of the University. From 1747 to 1859 tne Rector heldoffice for one year only ; from 1859 onwards he was electedfor a period of three years.

The right to take part in the election of the Rectorappears to have been enjoyed by all the students under the

1 At Bologna " the candidate was then introduced to the Archdeacon andDoctors by the presenting Doctor or Promotor as he was styled." Rashdall :' Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages,' vol. i. p. 227.

xviii THE RECTOR

original constitution of the University. In 1475 this rightwas withdrawn altogether and the election confined toDoctors, Masters, and Graduates. It was restored, however,in 1625, by an act of a Royal visitation ; 1 but in course oftime the statute of 1475 was reverted to. From 1747 to1825 the right of election was confined to the Principals andProfessors, the students of St Mary's College, and the thirdand fourth year students of the United College. 2 In 1826the Act of 1625 was rediscovered, and, having never actuallybeen repealed, was once more put in force, so that fromthat date all matriculated students again had a voice inthe election of the Rector. 3

Down to 1859 the rectorial election was conducted byNations. Each of the four Nations elected an Intrant,and these four Intrants met and elected the Rector. In theevent of an equality of votes among the Intrants, the re-tiring Rector had a casting vote. A majority of votes ineach of the four Nations does not appear to have beennecessary to secure election. The Nations had never beenvery clearly defined in the older statutes, and so differencesof opinion prevailed as to their respective boundaries. Thematter was taken up and dealt with by the Senatus in 1826,when the following classification by shires and stewartrieswas adopted :

Fifani. Natives of Fife, Kinross, Clackmannan, and

Perthshire south of the Tay.Angusiani. Natives of Forfar, Perth north of the Tay,


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Kincardine, Aberdeen, Banff, Moray, Nairn, Invernessexclusive of the Isles, Ross, Sutherland, Cromarty,Caithness, and Orkney.Lothiani. Natives of Linlithgow, Edinburgh, Hadding-ton, Peebles, Selkirk, Berwick, and Roxburgh.Albani Natives of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, Wigtown,

Ayr, Renfrew, Bute, Lanark, Dumbarton, StirlingArgyle, the Western Isles, and all who were notnatives of Scotland.Voting by Nations ceased in 1859, when the Scottish

1 Evidence, p. 203. * ibid., p. 9. a Ibid., p. 238.

THE RECTOR xix

University Commissioners ordained that the election ofthe Rector should in future be determined by a general

poll of the matriculated students. 1 At the same time theProfessors lost the privilege of taking part in the election,which they had enjoyed from the earliest times.

After the union of the Colleges only four persons wereeligible for the office of Rector viz., the Principal ofthe United College, the Principal of St Mary's College, theProfessor of Divinity, and the Professor of Church History.These were known as the "viri rectorales," of one or theother of whom the electors were bound to make choice.It had been enacted by a Royal visitation in 1597 " that naRector salbe reiterat in tyme cuming, bot efter thrie yeirisspace." 2 If this enactment had remained operative the" viri rectorales " would simply have held office in rotationand the election would have been reduced to a mere form.As it was, the election lost much of its interest by the verylimited choice open to the electors, and by the fact thatthe issue was almost in every case a foregone conclusion.In 1825 a strong feeling prevailed among the students thatthe restriction was unnecessary and detrimental to theinterests of the University, while many of them doubted ifit rested on anything more substantial than use and wont.They accordingly took the bold step of electing an "ex-trinsic " Rector in the person of Sir Walter Scott, who wasspeedily declared to be ineligible. The matter being nowbrought to a point, the whole question of the Rectorshipwas carefully investigated by a committee of the Senatus,with the result that the restriction was proved to be inexact accordance with the " fundamental statutes and im-memorial practice of the University." The students there-upon petitioned the Senatus to remove the limitation, butthe Senatus silenced them for a time by informing themthat there was "no individual of that body who wouldagree to the extension sought, without such a restrictionof the right of voting as would effectually prevent cabalsamong the students . . . and would in fact render it a

1 Ordinance No. 4. 2 Evidence, p. 197-

xx THE RECTOR


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matter of little importance to the students on what re-spectable person the choice might fall." 1

In 1843, when the events just narrated had been for-gotten, the Intrants, with the concurrence of their con-

stituents, made another effort to secure an outside Rectorby unanimously electing Dr Thomas Chalmers. They wereimmediately called before the Senatus to answer for theirconduct in violating the statutes of the University. Oneof their number submitted to an admonition and was dis-charged. The others refused to be admonished, anddeclined the jurisdiction of the Senatus in the matter;whereupon sentence of expulsion from the University waspronounced upon them. Fortunately for the students theSt Andrews University Commissioners of 1840 were stillsitting and inquiring into other disputes connected withthe Rectorship. After maturely considering all the circum-stances connected with the case of the offending Intrants,

the Commissioners recalled the sentence of expulsion, uponthe tender of a sufficient apology. The Commissioners,however, held that the election of Dr Chalmers, beingcontrary to the statutes of the University, as they hadbeen from time immemorial understood and interpreted,was properly declared null and void by the Senatus. 2

The next and final attempt at reform was begun in 1856when, at the instance of Sir David Brewster, the "virirectorales" were appointed a committee to inquire intothe system of electing the Rector and to consider whatmodifications of the system might be practicable and ex-pedient. This committee made no report until on the eveof the election of 1858, when Professor Brown, the retiringRector, was authorised to make a statement on the subjectto the Comitia. On the day of election Professor Brown,having demitted office, made formal reference to the dis-advantages of the existing system of electing the Rectorand to the desirability of introducing such changes asmight render what had become a mere mechanical form

1 Evidence, p. 267.

2 Report of Commissioners, Appendix No. XI.

THE RECTOR xxi

the free untrammelled exercise of an independent right,and, in some way and measure suited to the times, restorethe office to the importance and influence which belongedto it .as originally constituted. It was proposed that acommittee be appointed to consider the whole subject,and to take competent legal opinion on the changes thoughtto be desirable. But the meeting was ripe for action, andthe proposal to hand the matter over to another committeewas defeated. On proceeding to vote, two Intrants sup-ported Professor Buist and two Sir Ralph Anstruther.Professor Brown thereupon gave his casting vote in favourof Sir Ralph on the ground that a majority of the studentswished an extraneous Rector. The validity of the election


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having been called in question, the whole circumstanceswere explained to Lord Advocate Inglis, who saw noground for objection to the new departure, and recom-mended the Senatus to go on to the completion of theact by installing the Rector who had been chosen. On18th March Sir Ralph Anstruther formally accepted office

and was duly installed on 25th March. All further oc-casion for dispute was removed by the Universities (Scot-land) Act, passed a few months later, which completelyreversed the previous practice by disqualifying all Principalsand Professors from holding the office of Rector.

The limitation of the Rectorship to two Principals andtwo Professors led to various anomalies which the Act of1858 entirely removed. The Principals, as heads of theirColleges, presided at all College meetings, but at Universitymeetings both they and the senior Professors not in-frequently found themselves presided over by a new andinexperienced Professor of Divinity or Church History.

Principal Tulloch's reason for declining office in 1855 wasa very sensible one viz., his recent appointment to thePrincipalship and his inadequate knowledge of Universitybusiness. Not one of the eight Professors of the UnitedCollege, however experienced and competent, could holdthe office of Rector, while only one of the three Professorsof St Mary's College was excluded. During the period of

xxii MATRICULATION

112 years from 1747 to 1859 the honour was almost equallydivided between the Principal of St Mary's College andthe Professor of Divinity, and between the Principal of theUnited College and the Professor of Church History. TheProfessor of Divinity was elected 36 times, the Principalof St Mary's College 35 times, the Principal of the UnitedCollege 19 times, and the Professor of Church History 18times. Three extraneous Rectors were elected, but dis-qualified, and in one year there was no election.

Matriculation is the act which admits a student tomembership of a University. It consists in his taking theSponsio Academica by entering his name in the Matricu-lation Album and in paying the dues which at the timehappen to be exigible. From 1859 onwards the methodof matriculating differed materially from that previously invogue. The Senatus Academicus informed the Com-missioners of 1826 that " the Matriculation Roll of thisUniversity embraces the names of those students only whohave for the first time, during the course of the particularsession, studied at this University ; but a number of themhad previously studied at other Universities." 1 Down to1859 a student thus matriculated once for all. By a singlematriculation he practically became a life member of theUniversity. He was at liberty to discontinue his studiesand to resume them after any lapse of time at eitherCollege or in any Faculty without further enrolment.But, before he could be matriculated at all he had to beregistered as a student in at least one class ; in other words,he had to be a member of a College before he could be a


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member of the University. Matriculation in those dayscame after class-registration, and did not as a rule takeplace until the session was well advanced. It was, more-over, an act attended with a certain amount of ceremony.On the day and at the hour specially set apart for thepurpose the new students assembled class by class in the

Library, where their names were enrolled in presence ofthe Rector. Those attending one or more junior classes

1 Evidence, p. 252.

MATRICULATION xxiii

were generally introduced by the Professor of Greek; theothers were accompanied by their respective Professors.Students who for any reason could not attend on the par-ticular day appointed for the general matriculation were

enrolled at other times singly or in groups. Those whohad previously attended other Universities did not requireto matriculate (having done so elsewhere already), but weresimply "received into the album," and held the status theyhad reached at their former University. There was noseparate matriculation for students of St Mary's College.Students entering upon the study of Divinity who hadpassed through the United College were of course alreadymembers of the University, while those coming from out-side had only to be received into the album to enable themto rank as Incorporate

In 1859 a ll this was changed. Matriculation then becamethe first formal act in a student's career. He had in factto be a member of the University before he could be amember of a College. On November 12, 1859, the SenatusAcademicus resolved that the Matriculation Roll should,in conformity with the practice of other Universities, bemade up annually, and fixed the annual matriculation feeat half-a-crown. In 1862 annual matriculation was madestatutory by the University Commissioners, who enactedthat " each student shall pay to the University a matricu-lation fee of one pound at the commencement of eachwinter session for the whole academical year then nextensuing." 1 This fee was increased to one guinea by anordinance of the Commissioners of 1889, which came intoforce in 1894. 2 At first it was attempted to overtake thematriculation of the whole of the students in one day, butthis was soon found to be impracticable, and the periodduring which a student might matriculate was extended tothe first month or six weeks of the session, and sometimeseven longer. Under the old regulations matriculation andclass enrolment were two quite separate transactions. Theone was a University affair, and the other a College affair.1 Ordinance No. 21, sect. 14. s Ordinance No. 50, sect. 1.

xxiv CURRICULUM OF STUDY

For many years the Professors enrolled their students them-selves and collected the class - fees. These duties were


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afterwards performed by the Secretaries of the Colleges ;but the new ordinances largely disregarded the distinctionbetween University and College, and so matriculation andclass-enrolment became simultaneous transactions.

Until the new regulations for graduation came into force

in 1892 every regular student, especially if he were a bursar,entered upon a well-defined curriculum of study. Thiscurriculum was the result of usage rather than of anyspecial act of University legislation, but it was long some-what rigidly adhered to, and deviations from it were dis-countenanced unless they were justified by some peculiarityof circumstances. 1 It consisted of a four years' course, corre-sponding to the old regenting quadrennium with the classesrearranged to suit the new order of things. Students wereexpected to begin with the language classes, to commencethe study of Mathematics as early as possible, and to attendsuccessively Logic, Moral Philosophy, and Natural Phil-osophy, each one session. History did not come within

the scope of the curriculum, nor, of course, did Medicine.Latin and Greek were the favoured classes, and studentswere recommended to take them during all the sessionsof their course. As a matter of actual practice many ofthem did so, and thus the senior classes of Latin andGreek largely outnumbered all the others. The taste forMathematics developed slowly, and towards the end of theeighteenth century most students seem to have avoidedthe subject altogether. The following table, compiled fromsuch statistics as are available, shows the average attend-ance at these classes during the five decades following 1790 :

Z 79I - l8 oo Sen 5 r -6 atin - Seni ; 3 G ; eek - Senior Mathernatic,1801-1810 46-4 427 J.j

1811-1820 86-r 78-6 22 .

1821-1830 96-9 9 o- 9 .A

1831-1840 S ri 5S . 2 3 3 3 . s

1 Evidence, p. 285.

CURRICULUM OF STUDY xxv

For more than a century after the union of the Collegesthe normal Arts course was as follows : First Session Latin,Greek; Second Session Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Logic;Third Session Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Moral Philos-ophy; Fourth Session Latin, Greek, Mathematics, NaturalPhilosophy. Students were also recommended to availthemselves of the opportunity of attending History andChemistry, and the lectures on such other subjects as werefrom time to time offered. After 1858 this programmeunderwent some revision to meet the requirements of theregulations for graduation in Arts then introduced. FirstLatin, First Greek, First Mathematics, and English Litera-ture were placed in the first session ; Second Latin, SecondGreek, Second Mathematics, and Logic in the second session ;Third Latin, Third Greek, Third Mathematics, and Moral


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Philosophy in the third session; Natural Philosophy andsupplementary subjects in the fourth session. In 1888English Literature and Moral Philosophy were transferredto the fourth session, Logic and Natural Philosophy to thethird session ; but these rearrangements were suggestiverather than obligatory, and students were allowed a fair

amount of latitude in the grouping of their seven compulsorysubjects. After 1892 the grouping of classes by sessionswas discontinued, as the regulations which then came intooperation left students free to make their own choice inthe order of their class attendances.

The educational advantages of an extended curriculumand elective courses are doubtless great, but since theirintroduction an important element in the academical lifeof the past has begun to disappear. A uniform curriculumhad helped to keep alive the feeling of class comradeshipwhich prevailed in the days before Professors were calledupon to teach specific subjects. Students who entered in

the same year for the most part remained class-fellowsthroughout their whole course, and so came to know eachother intellectually in a way that is no longer possible undera system which has opened up so many avenues to acommon end. So great in this respect has been the breach

xxvi THE UNITED COLLEGE

with the past, that it is now possible for two students to gothrough their whole course simultaneously and obtain thesame degree without ever meeting in a single class.

THE UNITED COLLEGE.

The United College was constituted by the union intoone corporation of the College of St Salvator (founded byBishop Kennedy in 1450) and the College of St Leonard(founded by Archbishop Alexander Stewart and' Prior JohnHepburn in 1512). This union was accomplished by Actof Parliament, and took effect from and after 24th June1747. Very little is known of the history of the movementin favour of union, and it seems to be impossible now todiscover in which College the idea originated, and to whombelongs the credit of having carried it through. 1 That manydifficulties had to be overcome is evidenced by the factthat the negotiations extended over so long a period asnine years. As originally conceived, the scheme contem-plated the union of all three Colleges, a proposal which theUniversity on 14th August 1738 deemed to be "just andreasonable," and appointed a committee " to draw up astate of the revenues of the several Colleges, the salariesof the several Masters, the manner of their election," &c,with a view to carrying it into effect. On 26th December1738 this committee reported that the Masters of St Mary'sCollege had, after deliberation, declined to be united intoone College with the two philosophy Colleges, and thattherefore no " state " of that College was forthcoming."States" of the Colleges of St Salvator and St Leonard


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were duly given in, whereupon the University, believingthat the union would be very much to its advantage,recommended the Colleges " to proceed in that affair." No

1 Professor David Young was sent to London to procure the Act of union andon his return, received the thanks of the College "for his care and

diligence inthat matter."

REASONS FOR UNION xxv ii

further reference to the subject is met with until 18thNovember 1741, when the Principal of St Leonard's Collegereported to the Masters that the project of uniting thetwo Colleges was now so far advanced as to be ready tobe laid before Parliament, and that it would be necessaryto provide a fund to defray the expenses of obtaining an

Act. By a majority of those present it was agreed toadvance, from the funds of the College, a sum not exceeding;6o for this purpose, provided a like sum was advancedby the Provost and Masters of St Salvator's College.Financial or other difficulties must have arisen, for it wasnot until 12th December 1746 that proposals for unitingthe Colleges were finally adjusted and signed.

The reasons for union, as set forth in the preamble tothese proposals, were : (1) " the meanness of the Professors'salaries, which must needs be a discouragement to men oflearning and abilities to accept of vacant professions " ;(2) the ruinous condition of one of the fabrics, not to berepaired and supported without an expense far exceedingwhat the public funds can afford; (3) the duty "at leastto attempt laying a foundation which hereafter may supportthis sinking though once flourishing University and givehopes of restoring it again to its former lustre." Theproposals themselves dealt with the union of the Colleges,with the amalgamation and management of their respectivefunds and revenues, the redistribution of the professorships,the salaries of Principals and Professors, of patronage andother matters, which, as revised by Parliament, were after-wards embodied in the Act of union. The proposals weresigned by three Professors of St Salvator's College, thePrincipal and three Professors of St Leonard's College, andby the Professors of Mathematics and Medicine, who be-longed to neither of these Colleges, but who were to beadmitted members of the United College. The principal-ship of St Salvator's College and one of the professorshipswere at the time vacant. The three Professors who didnot sign the proposals were those who had agreed to retire.The proposals, as submitted to Parliament, were thus

c

xxviii ACT OF UNION

signed by the nine persons who became the first Principaland Professors of the United College.


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On 17th February 1747 a petition was presented to theHouse of Commons praying that leave might be given tobring in a bill for uniting the Colleges of St Salvator andSt Leonard pursuant to the agreement and resolutions ofthe several Masters and Professors, if the same should

appear for the advancement of learning and the bettereducation of youth in the University of St Andrews. Thispetition was referred to the consideration of a committeeconsisting of all the Scotch members and thirty- sevenothers, with power to send for persons, papers, and records.The committee returned a favourable report on 30th March,when the House ordered that leave be given to bring ina bill for uniting these Colleges, and appointed Mr DavidScott, Mr Thomas Erskine, and Sir Ludovic Grant to pre-pare and bring in the same. The bill was presented tothe House and read a first time on 6th April, when theChancellor of the Exchequer stated that the King, havingbeen informed of the purport of the bill, had given his

consent to it so far as his Majesty's interest was concerned.The bill was read a second time on 10th April, and com-mitted to a committee of the whole House. On 27thApril Lord Dupplin reported that the committee had gonethrough the bill and made several amendments thereuntowhich they had directed him to report to the House. Itwas ordered that the report be received on 29th April, onwhich day Lord Dupplin, according to order, submittedthe bill with the committee's amendments. These wereagreed to by the House and several additional amendmentsmade, after which the bill with its amendments was orderedto be engrossed. On 1st May the bill was read a thirdtime, passed, and ordered to be sent to the House of Lordsfor their concurrence. The bill was introduced into theHouse of Lords and read a first time on 5th May. It wasread a second time on 7 th May, and referred to a committeefor consideration. On nth May the Earl of Findlaterreported that the committee had gone through the billand examined the allegations thereof, which were found

UNITED COLLEGE PROFESSORSHIPS xxix

to be true, and that the committee had directed him toreport the same to the House without any amendment.On 13th May the bill was read a third time and passed.This was reported to the House of Commons on 14thMay, and the Act of union received the Royal assenton 17th June. 1

The various clauses of the Act of union are substantiallythe same as the corresponding clauses of the signed pro-posals. A comparison of the two documents shows manyverbal alterations and numerous changes of form and ex-pression but no essential departure from the scheme of unionworked out by the Professors themselves. Only one of theamendments made by Parliament gave rise to friction ; butit only affected a minor financial arrangement which wassoon satisfactorily adjusted.

The union of the two Colleges involved the suppression


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of one principalship and four professorships. The principal-ship of St Salvator's College and one of its professorshipsbeing, as already stated, vacant at the time of union, weresuppressed at once, while the professorships held by onemember of St Salvator's College and by two members ofSt Leonard's College, who retired on full pay, were to be

suppressed at their respective deaths.

The United College, like its two predecessors, was aresidential College, and consisted of a specific number ofmembers. These were made up of one Principal, eightProfessors, sixteen bursars on the original foundation, alongwith such others as might be separately provided for, andthe necessary College servants. The first Principal of theUnited College was the Reverend Thomas Tullideph,formerly Principal of St Leonard's College. The followingis a list of the professorial chairs, with the names of theirfirst occupants as provided for by the Act of union :

Greek James Kemp, formerly Professor of Greek inSt Salvator's College.

1 Journals of the House of Commons, vol. xxv. pp. 290-408 ; Journals of theHouse of Lords, vol. xxvii. pp. 110-113. The Act is 20 Geo. II. cap. 32. Itwas reprinted by the Commissioners of 1826 in Evidence, vol. iii. p. 278,andby the Commissioners of 1889. in Deeds and Documents, p. 31.

XXX

UNITED COLLEGE PROFESSORSHIPS

Logic, Rhetoric, and Metaphysics -Henry Rymer, formerlyProfessor of Philosophy in St Leonard's College.

Ethics and Pneumatics. John Young, formerly Professorof Philosophy in St Salvator's College.

Natural and Experimental Philosophy. David Young, for-merly Professor of Philosophy in St Leonard's College.

H umanity Ninian Young, formerly Professor of Humanityin St Leonard's College.

Civil History. William Vilant, formerly Professor ofHumanity in St Salvator's College.

Mathematics. David Gregory, formerly Professor ofMathematics in the University.

Medicine. -Thomas Simson, formerly Professor of Medicineand Anatomy in the University.

No enlargement of the professorial staff was contem-plated by the Act of union, and as a matter of fact one


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hundred and fifteen years had come and gone before asingle new professorship was added to the College. In1808 Dr John Gray of Paddington, London, left a sumof money for the purpose of endowing a professorship ofChemistry. The sum received, after deducting legacyduty, was a small one for such a purpose, and it was found

necessary to allow it to accumulate until 1840, when thefirst Professor of Chemistry was appointed. In the intervalthe teaching of Chemistry was, by a resolution of theSenatus, to be afterwards mentioned, assigned to the Pro-fessor of Medicine. This new Chair was looked upon assimply a private endowment, carrying with it no statuseither in College or University. In 1844, however, the Pro-fessor was received as a member of the Senatus Academicusand a University Professor; and in 1862 he was added tothe list of Professors in the United College, with the provisothat he was not to be entitled to any payment out of thecommon stock or revenues of the College. 1

The Chairs of Greek, Humanity, and Mathematics under-went no change, except that the Professors, who at firsttaught junior and senior classes only, afterwards taughta third or more advanced class. The third class in

1 Ordinance No. 21, sect. 11.

UNITED COLLEGE PROFESSORSHIPS xxxi

Mathematics is said to have commenced so early as 1793,although no trace of it appears until 1822. 1 The thirdclasses in Greek and Humanity date from 1853. The Chairof Natural and Experimental Philosophy has likewise re-mained substantially the same, but the subject has under-gone considerable expansion. In place of a single course oflectures to one class, four courses of instruction were latterlygiven viz., an elementary course of 100 lectures, an ad-vanced course of 60 lectures, and an elementary and ad-vanced course of training in Practical Physics.

English Literature was introduced into the curriculum in1861 under the Universities Act of 1858, and the teachingof the subject was assigned to the Professor of Logic,Rhetoric, and Metaphysics. This ' combination lasted ex-actly thirty years, Professor Henry Jones being the lastProfessor of Logic to deliver a course of lectures on EnglishLiterature, in 1891-92. From 1892-93 to 1896-97 a fullcourse of lectures on the English Language and Literaturewas delivered by Professor M'Cormick of University Col-lege, Dundee, under a special agreement sanctioned bythe University Commissioners. On 15th January 1897 anordinance founding the Berry Chair of English Literaturewas approved by the Queen in Council, and on 14th Marchthe Reverend Alexander Lawson, B.D., was appointed itsfirst occupant.

The professorship of Ethics and Pneumatics was soonchanged to Moral Philosophy. It was afterwards expandedto Moral Philosophy and Political Economy, but it wasagain restricted to Moral Philosophy by an ordinance of


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15th January 1897. 2 Political Economy was first taught inthe United College by the Professor of Moral Philosophyabout 1818-19, but not apparently as a separate class.Professor Chalmers began on his own initiative to lectureon Political Economy, and taught separate classes duringthe last three years of his tenure of office (1825-26 to

1827-28). These classes were attended by 35, 29, and 28students respectively. His successor, Dr George Cook,continued the two subjects in the same class, although

1 Evidence, p. 333. 2 Ordinance No. 48, sect. 5.

xxxn

UNITED COLLEGE PROFESSORSHIPS

there were occasionally students of Political Economy whowere not students of Moral Philosophy, and vice versa Thisappears to have been the practice followed by ProfessorsFerrier, Flint, and Knight-all students of Moral Philosophybeing returned as students of Political Economy. Thesubject was dropped from the curriculum altogether whenthe new regulations for graduation in Arts came into forcein 1892, and was not again restored within the periodcovered by this volume.

The professorship of Civil History was the only newChair founded by the Act of union, and unhappily it turnedout to be a failure from the first. Not one of the holdersof the Chair was able to carry on a regular class for anylength of time. Professor Forrest (1765-73). in default ofstudents of History, is reported to have taught ModernLanguages. He had evidently been a person of some versa-tility, for he was afterwards transferred to the Chair ofNatural Philosophy. His successor, Professor Cleghorn,was scarcely more successful, although certain bursars werefor a time taken bound to attend his class. ProfessorAdamson (1793-1808) adopted the plan of delivering shortcourses of lectures free, and so attracted an average of overa dozen hearers. Professor Ferrie (1808-50) admitted to theUniversity Commissioners in 1827 that his Chair had been asinecure, so far as lecturing was concerned, ever since he hadit, and he suggested that on its becoming vacant it shouldbe converted into a Chair of Modern Languages a sugges-tion which the Commissioners adopted. But he withdrewthis suggestion when the commission of 1840 visited StAndrews, on the ground that Modern Languages weresufficiently provided for in the Madras College, thenrecently founded, and that students had been for some yearsattending his classes in considerable numbers. When theChair became vacant in 1850, the Senatus requested thePatron to select a person competent to teach NaturalHistory, and on the understanding that he would teachit in all its branches. The Patron agreed, and presentedDr William Macdonald to the Chair of Civil History on the


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UNITED COLLEGE PROFESSORSHIPS xxxiii

understanding that he would also teach Natural History.

This anomalous combination was formally sanctioned byordinance in 1862, the Professor of Civil History beingmade also Professor of Natural History, and a member ofthe Faculty of Medicine. 1 The experiment did not improvematters much. Professor Macdonald is credited with oneclass in Civil History and six classes in Natural Historyduring his twenty-five years' occupancy of the Chair. In1861 a statement was industriously circulated to the effectthat Dr Macdonald was usually domiciled in Edinburghduring the University session at St Andrews, and that hedid not lecture there ; but the Professor was able to produceevidence from former students that he had conducted classesat least to the extent mentioned. His course in Natural

History extended to fifty lectures only, and included Miner-alogy, Geology, and Zoology. Under Professors Nicholsonand M'Intosh classes in Natural History only were offered,

the former teaching Zoology and Geology in alternateyears, and the latter confining himself to Zoology.

The Chair of Medicine was even less successful than theChair of Civil History. The first three occupants of it arenot known to have lectured regularly to students on anybranch of Medicine, but they appear to have " demonstratedthe skeleton " and given instruction in Practical Pharmacyoccasionally. When the Chair became vacant in 1811,Dr Robert Briggs was appointed to teach Chemistry andChemical Pharmacy, which he did until his death in 1841.His successor, Professor John Reid, lectured on Descriptiveand Comparative Anatomy and on General Physiology from1841 to 1849. From 1849 to 1863 Professor George EdwardDay held classes regularly for instruction in General Physi-ology and Comparative Anatomy. From 1863 to 1896Physiology only was taught, the object of the course beingto instruct the general student, as well as the student ofMedicine, in the Anatomy and Physiology of the humanbody and in the more essential departments of sanitaryscience.

1 Ordinance No. 21, sect. 8.

xxxiv UNIVERSITY LECTURERS

In 1876 a Chair of the Theory, History, and Practice ofEducation was founded by the trustees of Dr Andrew Bell,a native of St Andrews, and a former student and graduateof the University. Although associated with the UnitedCollege, the Chair of Education was a University Chair,and no class-room was provided for it in the College build-ings. The Professor had either to obtain the loan of aclass-room or lecture in his own house (which he frequentlydid). This Chair did not at first attract many students, butits inclusion in the Arts curriculum under the new regula-tions of 1892 led to a marked improvement in this respect.


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Ordinance No. 17 (1892) of the Scottish UniversitiesCommission empowered the University Court, after con-sultation with the Senatus Academicus, to appoint Lec-turers in any subject not already taught within the Uni-versity. Under this ordinance University Lecturers were

appointed in the following subjects up to 30th September1897 : Botany, French, History, Anatomy, Materia Medica,Physiology, and Modern Greek.

Some elementary instruction in Botany had been givenin the United College more than fifty years previously inthe courses of lectures in Natural History delivered byMr John Gibson Macvicar in sessions 1825-26 and 1826-27. 1It was also to some extent treated of in the lectures of theprofessors of Natural History from 1850 onwards; but itwas not until 1888 that it was taught systematically as aspecific subject. In that and the two following years DrJohn Hardie Wilson delivered lectures on Botany, quali-

fying for graduation in Medicine and Science in all theScottish Universities. In addition to lecturing, Dr Wilsonspent much time in laying out a botanic garden suitablefor teaching purposes. This nucleus of the later andlarger University botanic garden was opened by ProfessorM'Intosh on 28th June 1889. Finding little inducementto carry on the work, Dr Wilson accepted another appoint-ment and was succeeded by Mr R. A. Robertson in 1890.Shortly afterwards, Dr Hugh F. C. Cleghorn of Stra-

1 Evidence, p. 158.

UNIVERSITY LECTURERS xxxv

vithie gifted 1000 towards the endowment of a Botaniclectureship or future Chair in the United College, and on6th April 1891 Mr Robertson was appointed the first regularUniversity Lecturer in Botany. Winter and summercourses in Botany (theoretical and practical) were theninstituted in the Faculties of Arts, Science, and Medicine.The first University Lecturer on the French Languageand Literature was appointed on 3rd December 1892. On22nd September 1894 the scope of the lectureship wasextended so as to include Romance Philology. Frenchwas thus the first modern foreign language to receive re-cognition as a subject qualifying for graduation in theUniversity. But the subject was not a new one to theSt Andrews student. In November 1755 Mr PercivalStockdale, with the approbation of the Professors, under-took to teach a French class, but as he left the College toenter the army in the following February, the experimentwas a very brief one. 1 On 19th November 1773 the Rectorlaid before a meeting of the University a letter from theTown Council acquainting them that the town had agreedto give Mr M'Gregor 5 sterling annually as a teacherof French in this place, provided the University give him15 sterling annually. 2 This proposal was referred to theconsideration of the two Colleges, and a year later (14thNovember 1774) a committee was appointed "to settlethe matter with the French master." No further reference


26/956

to Mr M'Gregor has been found, but on 15th May 1782Mr Charles Pepper, French teacher, is reported to be onthe point of leaving St Andrews and in need of money.The United College resolved to give him 5 as its just pro-portion, while St Mary's College agreed "to allow himfifty shillings sterling providing he shall remove himself

peaceably without giving them any trouble." The nextmention of the subject is on 4th January 1794, when a

1 ' Memoirs,' vol. i. p. 235.

2 Mr Duncan M'Gregor was teacher of French in Perth Academy from 1768till 1795. He offered to come to St Andrews if an annual salary of 20 wasguaranteed to him, but there is no evidence that he ever left Perth.

xxxvi UNIVERSITY LECTURERS

letter from Mr Stewart of St Fort relating to the appoint-ment of a French teacher was read. The Rector wasdirected to reply that the University entertained a justsense of the importance of that branch of education, buthad been discouraged from renewing the establishmentof a French teacher on account of repeated disappoint-ments with regard to the character of the person whohad previously acted in that capacity. What the Uni-versity required was " one who is not a provincial, isqualified to teach French grammatically, and who knowsso much of English as to be easily understood by hisscholars." .It was also desirable, though not essential,that he should be able to teach Drawing. After somecorrespondence with Mr Stewart, and Dr CarmichaelSmyth of London, Monsieur Lagrandierre, a native ofFrance, was induced to come to St Andrews and totake up the duties of French master in the United Col-lege. He continued to hold the appointment until April1802 when, owing to failing health, he resolved to returnto France. On his resignation being intimated, the Rectorwas appointed to express to him the sense which the Uni-versity entertained of the propriety of his conduct, andthe elegance of his manners, and their earnest wishesfor his health and happiness in his native country. Healso received a parting gift of twenty guineas as an ex-pression of the esteem and regard in which he was heldby the University. Steps were immediately taken to ap-point a successor to M. Lagrandierre, and on 6th August1802 the Reverend James Hunter, Minister of Dunino,was unanimously elected French teacher during the pleasureof the University. Two years later Mr Hunter was ap-pointed Professor of Logic, and as he expressed a wishto continue teaching French, he was allowed to do soon relinquishing the salary attached to that office andcontenting himself with the fees. This arrangement seemsto have lasted until 1817, when the Principal and Mastersof the United College authorised M. Samuel Messieux toopen a class in the College for the instruction of students

UNIVERSITY ASSISTANTS xxxvii


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in French. On 8th January 1834 M. Messieux was ap-pointed first teacher of Modern Languages in the newlyfounded Madras College, St Andrews, his chief recom-mendation being that he had most successfully taught aFrench class in the University in connection with the

United College. Notwithstanding this appointment, M.Messieux retained his position in the University until hisretirement in 1854 ; and, according to the annual advertise-ment of the College classes, he offered instruction in Germanand Italian as well. 1 There is, unfortunately, no record ofthe number of students who attended these French classes,but there must have been enough to justify their existence,or the University would not have continued so long tomake provision for them.

The remaining lectureships having been instituted so lateas 1896, were only available to those students who matricu-lated in the last year included in this volume. With the

exception of Modern Greek (which was financed by theMarquess of Bute), all the subjects had, like Botany andFrench, already been taught in the University. Historyhad indeed been a separate professorship, while Anatomy,Materia Medica, and Physiology had been lectured upon atone time or other by the Professor of Medicine. It is worthrecording, however, that the lectureship in Physiology (alsoat first provided by the Marquess of Bute) was held fortwo years by the first lady-lecturer in the University.

Although lying outside the University curriculum, noticemay properly be taken here of the Gifford lectureship,founded in 1887 "for promoting, advancing, teaching, anddiffusing the study of Natural Theology, in the widest senseof that term."

Beginning with the academical year 1892-93, the teach-ing staff of the College was augmented by the appointmentof University Assistants to most of the Professors, underthe same ordinance that made provision for Lecturers.

1 On 22nd October 1852 a Lieut. Torckler petitioned the College for the useof a room in which to teach the French language, but the College declinedtoaccede to the request.

xxxviii UNITED COLLEGE BURSARIES

Assistants had from time immemorial been employed byProfessors in the work of their classes, but these werealmost always private assistants, appointed and paid forby the Professors themselves. Some of them were indeedmore than assistants, and practically had entire charge ofthe class-work. Thus, in the time of Professor NicolasVilant the Mathematical classes were taught by assistantsfor many years in succession, the Professor himself beingseldom able to leave his room on account of ill-health.The new University Assistants, on the contrary, were tobe recognised officials of the University, and entitled tovarious academical privileges. The right of Professors to


28/956

employ private assistants was not withdrawn by the ordin-ance, but these assistants were prohibited from taking partin the public work of the classes without the permissionof the University Court.

The Act of union made provision for the maintenance of

sixteen bursars in the United College. Six of these wereon the foundation of St Salvator's College, and ten uponthe foundation of St Leonard's College. There were inaddition four servers, who in return for board and lodgingon the same scale as the Foundation bursars performedmenial duties connected with the College tables. Thevalue of each Foundation bursary was at first 5, us. id.,and that sum was paid to any bursar who obtained per-mission to live outside the College walls. This equivalentwas increased in 1820 to 8, and in 1829 to 10, whichremained the normal value of all Foundation bursaries till1895 a proposal to raise it to 12 having been rejected in1831. From 1878 onwards, through the generosity of

several citizens of Dundee, some of these bursaries were,however, considerably increased in value. In 1895 ten ofthese bursaries and serverships were combined so as toform five bursaries of 20 each, the other ten being con-tinued at 10 each as before.

At the time of the union these were the only bursariesopen to competition by students entering the College.Although originally intended for poor students only, poverty

UNITED COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS xxxix

alone was never a sufficient qualification to hold them.And so on 12th October 1747 it was agreed that the Foun-dation bursaries should be disposed of by comparative trial,the presumption no doubt being that only those who reallyrequired them would compete for them. At first the ex-amination was confined to the Latin language ; Greekand Mathematics were afterwards added; and ultimatelyModern Languages and Dynamics.

About a dozen presentation or preference bursaries hadbeen founded in the two Colleges previous to 1747. Thesepassed to the United College, which in some cases ad-ministered the funds, although the bursars were usuallypresented by private patrons, who did not always take theintellectual attainments of their presentees into account.Only three additional bursaries were founded in the secondhalf of the eighteenth century; but the number of foun-dations increased so steadily in the nineteenth century thatin 1896 the College was in possession of over one hundredbursaries ranging in value from 5 to 50 each per annum.Although the eleemosynary character of the bursary systemhas not been altogether swept away, there has been a con-stant tendency to award not only competitive bursariesbut also presentation bursaries on the basis of merit alone.The requirements of the preliminary examination institutedin 1892 render this course almost unavoidable, while the in-creased facilities for obtaining secondary education through-out the country make it more easy of accomplishment.


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Scholarships were first instituted in the United Collegein 1862 by a supplementary ordinance of the Scottish Uni-versities Commission, which utilised for that purpose thesurplus revenue of the Ramsay foundation, dating from1681. The Ramsay scholarships were succeeded by the

Guthrie scholarships in 1864, by the Bruce scholarships in1865, and by the Berry scholarships in 1895. In 1896 thenumber of scholarships in the College was thirteen two ofthe annual value of about 40 each, tenable for four years ;two of the annual value of 50 each, tenable for two years ;five of the annual value of 100 each, tenable for one or

xl UNITED COLLEGE PRIZES

two years; and four tenable for four years value for thefirst year, 100, and 50 for each of the following years.

The prizes attached to the United College are all ofnineteenth - century foundation. Soon after his electionto the Chancellorship of the University in 1765, the Earlof Kinnoull offered a variety of prizes or premiums forcompetition annually. For a time his lordship came regu-larly to St Andrews and presented them in person at apublic exhibition, when the successful essayists read theircompositions aloud. The morals of the time were lax,and competitors did not scruple to obtain illicit help inthe composition of their themes. The prizes came to belooked upon as a hindrance rather than an aid to realscholarship, so on the election of a new Chancellor in1788 they were, by the advice of the Senatus, discon-tinued. In 1808 Dr John Gray of Paddington founded aprize for the best essay on some prescribed subject inliterature or philosophy. In 1834 Dr John Carstairs ofStratford Green founded prizes in connection with theMathematical classes, and these were supplemented in thesame department by the Duncan prize, founded in 1858in memory of Professor Duncan, and by the Tullis prizes,founded in 1876 by William Tullis, Esquire of Rothes,Markinch. In 1853 Henry Miller, Esquire, London, anative of Scotland, founded a number of prizes, amount-ing in all to about 60 a-year, for the encouragementof learning in the College. In 1895 these prizes werecombined into two, to be awarded on a higher standardof examination. In 1865 a prize of 10 for excellencein the study of Logic and Metaphysics was institutedby Mrs Tyndall Bruce of Falkland, and in 1887 aChemistry prize, of about the same value, by Mr WalterForrester, a graduate in Arts of the University. Over andabove these endowed prizes, the Senatus Academicus, andafterwards the University Court, granted an allowance forclass prizes and medals at the close of every session.

As already mentioned, one of the reasons for uniting thetwo Colleges was that the fabric of one of them was in such

UNITED COLLEGE BUILDINGS xli


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a ruinous condition that it could not be repaired nor sup-ported without an expenditure far exceeding what its publicfunds could afford. This could only apply to St Salvator'sCollege, because the buildings of St Leonard's College hadbeen repaired and largely rebuilt within the first thirty years

of the century, and so could scarcely have been in so ruinousa state in 1747. But when the union was accomplishedand it became necessary to decide which of the two wasto be the home of the United College, the choice fell uponthe dilapidated pile in North Street. On 8th July 1747"the Masters considering that it will be proper after thecommencement of the next session of College to lodge allthe students in one College they appoint ... a committeeto visit both Colleges to see which of them will be most con-venient for that end, and to report." Next day the com-mittee reported " it was their opinion that St Salvator'sCollege would be most convenient for lodging the students,if it was repaired, which they thought might be done at no

great expense, and that until it was repaired the studentsmight be lodged in St Leonard's College. Of which reportthe Masters approved and resolved accordingly; and theyfurther recommend to the former committee to call trades-men to see how the said reparations of St Salvator's Collegemay be done most efficiently and on least expense, and thatin the scheme of the said reparation they lay out schoolsfor the several Masters, and a convenient fine room forkeeping the papers of the United College."

The committee was called upon several times to reportits diligence, but made no response, and the matter lay inabeyance till 10th June 1748, when a proposal was madeto repair St Salvator's College for the reception of thestudents against the next session. The Principal gave itas his opinion that this design ought to be delayed at leasttill the debt contracted on account of uniting the twoColleges was paid off; 1 but the majority of the Masters,being of a contrary opinion, appointed a committee tosurvey the rooms and see how many of them might be1 The expenses incurred in procuring the Act of union amounted to ^363, 8s.6d.

xlii UNITED COLLEGE BUILDINGS

fitted up for lodging the students and to bring in an esti-mate of the expense of that reparation. On 13th June thiscommittee reported that they had surveyed the rooms andhad found no less than thirty-two rooms which might easilybe fitted up for lodgings, besides six schools. Some minorrepairs were forthwith effected, but very little money wasspent on the old buildings during the next few years. On13th May 1754 it was agreed, on the report of a committeeappointed on 3rd April, to make certain alterations on thewest wing (involving the demolition of a projecting buildingknown as "Montrose's chambers"), and also to employ anarchitect to make a plan of a building the whole lengthof the north side of the area. Plans and estimates for thenew building were submitted on 25th May, and contractswere signed for carrying out one half of the scheme, con-


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sisting of ten rooms and two schools. This new buildingwas " founded " on 8th July 1754. It is not easy to follow,in the College records, the various stages of its erection,but it appears to have been completed by 1757, and to havecost "1467, 16s. 5d. It was a long narrow building threestoreys in height, with an open arcade of thirteen arches

running from end to end of the south side. A good dealof old material from the building which it superseded wasused in its construction, and altogether it must have beenof a somewhat flimsy nature. It was covered with blueslates specially brought by sea from the west of England,but these were condemned as " quite faulty and insufficient "in 1769, and ordered to be taken off and replaced with greyslates from Arbroath. Even then the roof must have beenfar from satisfactory, for in 1796 it underwent further repairsat a cost of 82, 14s. 8>d. On 29th January 1763 a planand estimates were obtained for the erection of a building,"three stairs high three rooms in length," on the east ofthe College area. The probable cost of this building was

to have been 660, 13s. 5d., but the Masters delayed goingon with it, and nothing more is heard of it. In the summerof the same year additions on a small scale were carriedout on the south side of the area, immediately behind the

UNITED COLLEGE BUILDINGS xliii

church and westwards from the vestry, which was also in-cluded in the reparation. These additions were more ofthe nature of domestic offices, except that the remains ofa chapel at the north-west corner of the church were re-paired and heightened so as to be made capable of accom-modating students. The cost of these operations amountedto 94, 15s- 8d., and they were to be completed before theopening of the session. No further extensions of the fabricwere made during the eighteenth century, but a good dealof money was annually required to keep the existing build-ings in repair.

Although sums amounting to about 5500 had been ex-pended in the erection and repair of the College buildingsbetween 1747 and 1824, the Commissioners of 1826 foundthem to be in a lamentable condition. A committee oftheir number made a special inspection of them on 31stJuly 1827 and reported in these terms : " The western partis extremely old, and appears entirely ruinous and incapableof repair. In this portion most of the class-rooms are con-tained, and these are extremely mean, small, confined, andinsufficient; not in general fit to accommodate the classeswithout the risk of detriment to the health of the Professorsand students. The remainder of the fabric of the UnitedCollege, although erected at a much more recent period, isalso in a most dilapidated state. Some of the class-roomsare in this part of the building. But they are entirely unfitfor that purpose, and there is no part of the building whichcould be so altered as to afford the accommodation neces-sary for the classes of the College. The building is toonarrow to admit of any such alteration, even if the fabricis considered to be sufficient, which appears to be extremelydoubtful." l The evidence given a few days later by several


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of the Professors was equally strong. Professor JohnHunter said the buildings generally were in very bad repair.Ever since he knew the College the east side of the areahad been quite ruinous and dilapidated. The north buildingwas in the opinion of tradesmen in a very bad state both

1 Evidence, p. 5.d

xliv UNITED COLLEGE BUILDINGS

as regards walls and timber. The west building was somuch off the perpendicular that it had been necessary tobind the walls together with cross-beams. He was ashamedwhen any person from a distance wished to see the College,the exterior of it was so discreditable. Professor Jacksonthought an entirely new set of class-rooms was required.

Some of them were tolerably good, but they were for themost part too low in the roof and too narrow and confined.The whole place was in such a condition that without anew building it could not be shown without shame to anystranger, especially to any Englishman. Professor Duncanalso complained of the inadequacy of the class-rooms, anddescribed the general appearance of the buildings as cer-tainly not respectable for a great seminary of education, andapt to degrade it in the eyes of the students as well as ofthe public. Professor Chalmers said that his own class-room was a very mean and shabby-looking place. They" should not only have a complete suit of class-rooms, buta fabric of somewhat creditable aspect, that would announceitself to be a College, and not be mistaken for an oldcotton-mill." 1

Lord Melville, the Chancellor of the University, hadalready been urging upon Government the necessity ofrepairing or rebuilding the College fabric, and plans of theold and ruinous buildings and of the College grounds hadbeen prepared in 1825 at the request of Sir Henry Jardine,King's Remembrancer in the Exchequer of Scotland. On28th December 1827 Lord Melville again took up the matterin a detailed letter to the Treasury, which was officiallycommunicated to the University Commissioners. On 17thOctober 1828 plans prepared by Mr Reid, King's Architectfor Scotland, for repairing and restoring the buildings, wereinspected by the Commissioners and approved of; and on24th November following, the Lords of the Treasury in-formed the Commissioners that the Barons of Exchequerin Scotland had been authorised to proceed with the works. 2A commencement was made in 1828, and by 1831 an en-1 Evidence, pp. 45, 140, 147, 163. 2 Report, 1831, p. 417.

UNITED COLLEGE BUILDINGS xlv

tirely new east wing had been erected upon ground speciallyacquired by the Government for the purpose. This newbuilding, although a great improvement on anything thathad preceded it, was by no means a successful experiment


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in collegiate architecture. Not only was the exterior lack-ing in taste, but the internal arrangements were ill-designedand wasteful of space. The heating and ventilating of thenew class-rooms were most unsatisfactory. Dry rot soonmade its appearance in the woodwork, and before long thewhole flooring in the lower rooms had to be renewed.

Having proceeded so far, the work of rebuilding theCollege came to a sudden stop, and notwithstanding muchexpostulation with the Government it was not resumed fornearly fourteen years. During that period the College wasobliged to expend considerable sums in maintaining the oldbuildings and in endeavouring to make the new one service-able. In 1843 the College enlisted the services of Sir HughLyon Playfair, Provost of the city, who took up the matterwith such heartiness and vigour that within a few monthsfresh plans for additional buildings and alterations, preparedby Mr Nixon, Queen's Architect for Scotland, were sub-mitted and approved of.

The old north building was forthwith demolished and, in1845-46, replaced by the present north wing of the College,containing hall, museum, class-rooms, and other accom-modation. As soon as this new building was ready foroccupation the old west wing was pulled down, with theexception of the small portion which now forms part of thejanitor's house, with secretary's office, &c, above. It wasat first intended to enclose the frontage thus opened up toButts Wynd with a parapet wall and railing to show off thenew buildings, but at the urgent desire. of the Principal andProfessors a high wall with a large gateway near the centrewas substituted. In place of the arcaded corridor which ranthe whole length of the old north building, the Principaland Professors wished a covered way to be erected on theinner side of the new wall to protect the students in wet andstormy weather. But on the suggestion of the architect a

xlvi THE COLLEGE HALL

spacious cloister was instead erected along the north wall ofthe church, on the site of the vestry and other buildingsabove alluded to, which had been cleared away in 1839.This was afterwards found to be a mistake. With anorthern exposure and a cold draught constantly blowingthrough it, this convenient and attractive looking retreatwas no real shelter to students in winter. In 1864 its eightopenings were closed up, and a portion of it was convertedinto a meeting-place for students' societies, under the nameof the Cloister Hall. Being no longer required for suchpurposes, the cloister was afterwards used partly as agymnasium and partly as a drill-hall in connection withthe students' battery of volunteers. It was not until 1851that all the additions to and alterations upon the Collegebuildings were completed. They were then taken over bythe Treasury as national property, and for the next fortyyears were maintained at the public expense. On 1st April1890 they were transferred to the University Court, whichthereafter became responsible for their maintenance. 1


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In 1861, mainly through the exertions of Principal Forbes,a joint-stock company was formed for the "establishmentand conduct of a College Hall for the residence of the sonsof gentlemen attending the University of St Andrews, . . .and to provide, on moderate terms, a home and the bestpossible aid in their studies for young men prosecuting

these in the University of St Andrews." The promotersof this Hall sought to restore, in some measure, to theUniversity the College system as it formerly prevailed. Init the habits of family life were preserved, all meals weretaken in common, and morning and evening prayers wereconducted by the Warden. By its means it was hopedto lure back to St Andrews the sons of the Scottishnobility and gentry who for more than half a century hadbeen borne southward to the English universities. Theventure was successful, and during its early years the Hallprospered so well that the company was induced to facethe more ambitious project of erecting a large building

1 Universities (Scotland) Act, 1889, sects. 22, 23.

GATTY MARINE LABORATORY xlvii

specially fitted for its purpose. The Hall had been ap-propriately started in buildings which once formed partof St Leonard's College, including the house understoodto have been occupied by George Buchanan when principal.On 26th April 1867 the foundation-stone of a handsomebuilding capable of containing upwards of thirty studentswas laid with masonic honours. This new Hall, whichcost upwards of 8000, was opened in November 1868 ; but,unlike the old one, it did not prosper, and was closed in1874 the company being wound up and the building sold.

On the admission of women to the University in 1892,steps were immediately taken to provide a Hall of Resi-dence for such of them as preferred to live together undera Head. As a temporary arrangement, the house number79 North Street was secured for session 1892-93, and ArgyleLodge for 1895-96. No provision for residence was madeduring the two intervening years. Meanwhile a permanentUniversity Hall for women students on a site granted bythe University Court on the lands of Rathelpie was incourse of erection, and was ready for occupation at thebeginning of session 1896-97. The Hall owed its exist-ence very much to the zeal and activity of Professor Knight,who obtained a grant of 2000 towards its cost from thePfeiffer Trust, besides numerous donations from privateindividuals.

In January 1884 a Marine Zoological Station was organ-ised by Professor M'Intosh in connection with the FisheryBoard for Scotland. A wooden building standing on theEast Bents between the harbour and the sea, which hadbeen erected some years before as a temporary fever hos-pital, was utilised for the purpose. It was neither wind-nor water-tight, but in spite of many discomforts muchvaluable research was carried on in it, not only by membersof the University but by zoologists of eminence from the


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Continent and elsewhere. At the end of twelve years thisimportant work was transferred to the very commodiousand well -planned Gatty Marine Laboratory, the gift tothe University of Charles Henry Gatty, Esquire of East

xlviii THE COLLEGE CHURCH

Grinstead, which was opened by Lord Reay on 30thOctober 1896.

In 1891 a Chemical Laboratory was presented to theUniversity by Mrs Thomas Purdie of Castlecliffe, StAndrews; and in 1897 preparations were begun for theerection of the Bute Medical Buildings designed to ac-commodate the departments of Anatomy, Botany, Physi-ology, and Materia Medica.

Immediately after the union of the Colleges it was re-solved "that the students shall regularly attend publicworship every Lord's day in the church of the UnitedCollege " ; and the Hebdomadar was directed " to convenethe students every Sunday before public worship begin,in the fore and afternoon, in the common schools of theCollege where they lodge and conduct them to church."The " church of the United College " meant St Leonard'schurch, of which the Principal of the United College wasminister, although he seldom preached. St Salvator'schurch had long been disused as a place of worship, andwas then in a state of neglect and decay. This arrange-ment, however, did not last long, for on 10th October 1750the Masters " considering that the students were nowlodged in St Salvator's College, which is in the town parishof St Andrews, and that the United College has a morecommodious seat in the Town church than in St Leonard's,it was resolved that henceforth the students shall be con-ducted to the said Town church, and that the porter beordered to clean the College loft there, and to intimateto all persons who had been allowed to sit there, that theymust provide themselves elsewhere; and it was recom-mended to Dr Simson to inquire about the price of acarpet proper for the Masters' seat in the said loft." Butbefore ten years were over another change was effectedwhich in course of time led to much contention andlitigation. The roof of St Leonard's church began tofail, and its renewal threatened to tax heavily the limitedresources of the College. As an alternative, the repair ofSt Salvator's church was thought of and ultimately adopted,

THE COLLEGE CHURCH xlix

chiefly because it was believed to be the cheaper schemeof the two. It was by no means so in the end, but itsadoption probably helped to save from further dilapidationthe finest unruined specimen of ecclesiastical architecturein St Andrews. In 1759 the local presbytery sanctionedthe transference of the Leonardine congregation from thechurch of St Leonard to the church of St Salvator. As