had never departed from it. I am not sure that my agony, on hearing of his death, was much more intense than that which I then endured, from an apprehension of his guilt. Instantly, but without betraying my emotions, I asked him what he had said. He answered, at once, in so artless and unembarrassed a manner, as to convince me that he was unconscious of falsehood,-that there must have been some misconception in the case, and that my boy was yet innocent. I pursued the inquiry, and in a few moments found, to my inexpressible joy, that he was perfectly correct in all he had stated.

This was the only time in his life in which I had even a passing suspicion of his disregard to truth. On one memorable and most important occasion, in 1820, to which I need not more explicitly refer, and which Glasgow College, with its late and present Lord Rectors, will not readily forget; he received from a distinguished professor a testimony to his integrity which his own heart felt he merited, but which that gentleman conveyed in lan

guage and with a manner so peculiarly delicate as to make upon the mind of my son a deeply favourable impression, which nothing but death could erase. In a confidential interview with that professor, he said, "Sir, I was not present on that occasion; and I can prove an alibi." Mr. laying his hand upon his heart, said, "Mr. D., you have removed from my mind a heavy load : I was sure you could not have been in that procession: but you need not, Sir, prove an alibi; for no gentleman in the University can require a proof beyond your own assertion." To that learned professor, I am myself indebted for the politest attentions and the most tender sympathy, at a moment when my bleeding heart felt the need of all the support that human or divine kindness could administer. And I beg him to accept this public expression of my thanks.

I HAVE presented, in one view, the general history of his religious character—though that will be found to run, more or less, through the whole memoir-in order that I might pursue, in a more unembarrassed manner, his purely intellectual progress. It may easily be imagined, that parents not altogether unacquainted with literature themselves; feeling its importance as a copious source of innocent pleasure, and as an instrument of usefulness in the world;* and marking, with rapture, the early indications of superior talents in their child, would apply themselves with assiduity, to the cultivation of his mind. We were aware that more depended on THE MANNER OF CONDucting his EDUCATION, than on our best inclinations. We, therefore, read,

In one of his letters to me during his first session at Glasgow, he writes, "I am glad to hear that you do not neglect classical literature; for, besides its intrinsic, it has an arbitrary value---so to speak.---It creates esteem; esteem, influence; influence is power; and power will prove, I am convinced, in your hands, the instrument of beneficence."

and conversed, and thought much upon the subject. While common observation, and our moderate acquaintance with mental philosophy, furnished us with many useful suggestions; Dr. Knox, Miss Hamilton, the Edgeworths, and others, who had written on education, afforded us most essential benefit. To the Edgeworths, however, we were chiefly indebted; as they had presented before the world the actual course of instruction pursued, with such apparent success, in their own family; thus offering a practical comment on their theory. A few years since, my dear William and I read together the Institutes of Quintilian; and I was not a little pleased to find that we had pursued with him (from his cradle) almost the entire course of mental discipline, which that learned rhetorician had recommended for the formation of a scholar and an orator. This circumstance may have materially influenced his opinion in favor of that author; but he ever spoke of him, as, with the exception of Cicero, to whom he was devotedly attached, the wisest of the Roman writers with whom he was acquainted.

We ever felt fully persuaded that, in education, REGULArity, and the FORMATION OF GENERAL HABITS, were of great and essential importance. We had seen many a promising child spoiled-suffered to skim over the surface of things, and continuing a mere sciolistthrough the absence of these. We imagined in theory, what we found in fact, that ORDER AND STEADINESS OF APPLICATION are the grand secrets on which so much of excellency depends. Having formed our plan, and determined on a strictly domestic education, we came to the resolution that nothing, over which we had control, should interfere with the execution of our intentions. The friends, who occasionally visited us, were always given to understand that our plan was unalterable; and that they must, therefore, consent to our devoting the accustomed hours to the instruction of our beloved pupil. His mother would say, "If any can be offended with this, they will, of course, cease to visit us; and we may well dispense with their visits for the welfare of the child shall not be sacrificed to propitiate the favor of such unreasonable guests." Yet,