land o' the
leal,' leaving the places which now know them no more, the more
regretfully endeared to recollection. Of those friends who survive, I
cannot forbear an especial mention of one, who is now a professor in the
college in which he was then only a student. A man cannot be truly great
unless he also be good, and I do not alone value him on the colder and
statelier eminence of high intellectual powers and scientific
acquirements, but also, if not much rather, for his generous worth and
his benevolent feeling. My friend is one in whom these qualities are
combined, and as I sincerely think, I will likewise freely say, that
those will assuredly find a time, sooner or later, greatly to rejoice,
whose fate has been so favourable as to place them under the range and
influence of his tuition.

"I studied at St Andrews College under the late Dr Jackson, who was an
eminent philosopher and friendly man; also under Mr Duncan, of the
Mathematical Chair, whom I regarded as a personification of unworldly
simplicity, clothed in high and pure thought; and I regularly attended,
though not enrolled as a regular student, the Moral Philosophy Class of
Dr Chalmers. Returning to Edinburgh and its university, I became
acquainted, through my friend and countryman, Robert Hogg, with R. A.
Smith, who was desirous that I should assist him with the works in which
he was engaged, particularly 'The Irish Minstrel,' and 'Select
Melodies.' Smith was a man of modest worth and superior intelligence;
peculiarly delicate in his taste and feeling in everything pertaining to
lyric poetry as well as music; his criticisms were strict, and, as some
thought, unnecessarily minute. Diffident and retiring, he was not got
acquainted with at once, but when he gave his confidence, he was found a
pleasant companion and warm-hearted friend. If, as he had sought my
acquaintance, I might have expected more frankness on our meeting, I
soon became convinced that his shyer cast arose alone from excess of
modesty, combined with a remarkable sensitiveness of feeling. Proudly
honourable, he seemed more susceptible of the influences of all sorts
that affect life than any man I ever knew; and, indeed, a little
acquaintance with him was only required to shew that his harp was strung
too delicately for standing long the tear and wear of this world. He had
done much for Scottish melody, both by fixing the old airs in as pure a
state as possible, and by adding to the vast numbe