he sacred profession. You are ever to bear in
mind that there lies behind that the acquisition of what may be called
wisdom--namely, sound appreciation and just decision as to all the
objects that come round about you, and the habit of behaving with
justice and wisdom. In short, great is wisdom--great is the value
of wisdom. It cannot be exaggerated. The highest achievement of
man--"Blessed is he that getteth understanding." And that, I believe,
occasionally may be missed very easily; but never more easily than
now, I think. If that is a failure, all is a failure. However, I will
not touch further upon that matter.

In this University I learn from many sides that there is a great and
considerable stir about endowments. Oh, I should have said in regard
to book reading, if it be so very important, how very useful would
an excellent library be in every University. I hope that will not be
neglected by those gentlemen who have charge of you--and, indeed, I am
happy to hear that your library is very much improved since the time I
knew it; and I hope it will go on improving more and more. You require
money to do that, and you require also judgment in the selectors of
the books--pious insight into what is really for the advantage of
human souls, and the exclusion of all kinds of clap-trap books which
merely excite the astonishment of foolish people. (Laughter.) Wise
books--as much as possible good books.

As I was saying, there appears to be a great demand for endowments--an
assiduous and praiseworthy industry for getting new funds collected
for encouraging the ingenious youth of Universities, especially
in this the chief University of the country. (Hear, hear.) Well, I
entirely participate in everybody's approval of the movement. It
is very desirable. It should be responded to, and one expects most
assuredly will. At least, if it is not, it will be shameful to the
country of Scotland, which never was so rich in money as at the
present moment, and never stood so much in need of getting noble
Universities to counteract many influences that are springing up
alongside of money. It should not be backward in coming forward in
the way of endowments (a laugh)--at least, in rivalry to our rude
old barbarous ancestors, as we have been pleased to call them. Such
munificence as theirs is beyond all praise, to whom I am sorry to say
we are not yet by any manner of means equal or approaching equality.
(Laughter.) There is an overabundance