the spirit of party. In 1826, several master tradesmen met to
project a mechanics' institute. In 1827, they called a meeting of the
inhabitants, who having chosen Mr. Gellibrand their chairman, organised
the institution: the governor was invited to be patron, the chief
justice was chosen president, and Mr. James Wood appointed secretary.
Dr. James Ross, called the "Birkbeck of Tasmania," delivered the first
lecture (July 17), on the science of mechanics. The second, on
astronomy, by Mr. Gellibrand, senior: Mr. Hackett, on steam engines; Mr.
Giblin, senior, on astronomy; and Dr. Turnbull, on chemistry, completed
the course. Mr. James Thomson gave lessons in geometry to a youthful
class. These efforts languished during the absence of the secretary in
Great Britain; but in September, 1829, the former lecturers reappeared:
contributions were increased, and a library and apparatus were obtained
from England. In 1830, two hundred members were enrolled, and the
institution was promoted by all classes of society.

Among its supporters, Dr. James Ross occupied the first place: a man
whose name will be ever mentioned with respect. His political career
does not receive or deserve unqualified praise: as a partizan of Arthur,
he sometimes sanctioned by his pen what it is difficult to vindicate;
but he contributed to the intellectual advancement and external
reputation of the colony, beyond any person of his day. Dr. Ross was the
son of a Scotch advocate: educated at Aberdeen University, and some time
employed as a planter in Grenada, where he became an advocate of negro
freedom. He afterwards established a school at Sevenoaks, Kent; but his
family kept pace with his fortunes. He determined to emigrate, and
arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1822. Some error in the shipment of his
goods, upon the schedule of which he claimed 2,560 acres, deprived him
of one-half. He chose his location on the Shannon, and called his
cottage the "Hermitage." Here he was vexed with the incursions of
cattle, the perfidy of his servants, the dread of bushrangers, and the
visits of the blacks; and he willingly accepted the office of government
printer, which Mr. Bent had lost. The _Courier_, his newspaper,
patronised by the governor, obtained a large circulation, and in 1830
published 750 copies. He wrote with great facility and copiousness. In a
letter to a friend, he said--"I write my articles, engrave my vignettes,
set the types, adjust the press. Sometime