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"Upon upon the 10th of April we went to the house, and no sooner did I begin to open my mouth, but it threw stones at me, and all within the house, but still worst at him who was at duty: it came often with such force upon the house that it made all the house to shake, it brake an hole thorrow the timber and thatch of the house, and poured in great stones: it gripped, and handled the legs of some as with a man's hand; it hoised up the feet of others while standing on the ground, thus it did to William Lennox of Mill-house, myself, and others; in this manner it continued till ten o clock at night, but after that there was no more trouble. "The 16th it continued whisting, groaning, whisling, and throwing stones in time of prayer; it cryed Bo, Bo, and Kick, Cuck, and shoke men back and foreward, and hoised them up as if it would lift them off their knees. This is attested by Andrew Tait.

"The 20th it continued throwing stones, whisling, and whisting with all its former words: when it hit any person, and said, Take you that till you get more, that person was sure immediately of another; but when it April 1806.

said, Take you that, the person got no more for a while. This is attested by John Tait.

"The 21. 22. 23. it continued casting stones, beating with staves and throwing peet-mud in the faces of all in the house, especially in time of prayer, with all its former tricks.

The 24th being a day of humiliation appointed to be kept in the parish for that cause; all that day, from morning to night, it continued in a most fearful manner without intermission, throwing stones with such cruelty and force, all in the house feared lest they should be killed.

"The 26th, it threw stones in the evening, and knocked on a chest several times as one to have access; and began to speak, and call those who were sitting in the house witches, and rukes, and said it would take them to hell.

:

"Upon the 27th it set the house seven times in fire. The 28th, being the Sabbath, from sun rising to sun setting, it still set the house in fire; as it was quenched in one part, instantly it was hired in another and in the evening, when it could not get its designs fulfilled in burning the house, it pulled down the end of the house, all the stone work thereof, so that they could not abide in it any longer, but went and kindled their fire in the stable.

"Upon Tuesday's night, being the 30 of April, Charles Macklelane of Colline, with several neighbours, were in the barne; as he was at prayer he observed a black thing in the corner of the barne, and it did increase, as if it would fill the whole house; he could not discern it to have any form, but as if it had been a black cloud, it was affrighting to them all, and then it threw bear-chaff and other mud upon their faces, and after did grip severals who were in the house by the middle of the body, by the arms and other parts of their bo

dies,

dies, so strait, that some said, for five days thereafter they thought they felt these gripps: after an hour or two of the night was thus past there was no more trouble. This is attes ted by Charles Macklelane, Thomas Mackminn, Andrew Paline, John Cairns and John Tait,

Upon Wednesday's night, being the 1. of May, it fired a little sheephouse; the sheep were got out safe, but the sheep house was wholly burnt. Since there hath not been any trouble about the house by night or by day. Now all things aforesaid being of undoubted verity, therefore I conclude with that of the Apostle, 1 Pet. v. 8, 9.

SCOTTISH REVIEW.

ble indeed for any one to look with indifference on a discussion in which so many distinguished characters, and such important interests, were involved. In our numbers for April and May last, we stated some of the leading facts; and different circumstances, unnecessary to be mentioned, have prevented us from entering into minute details, on a subject of such peculiar delicacy, As, however, the controversy, according to every appearance, is now brought to a termination, our readers may naturally expect to receive from us some geneal account of its whole progress. In so doing, it appears to us most suitable to the character of the Scots Magazine, and most convenient, both for immediate satisfaction, and for future reference, rather to give a simple statement of facts, and of the

Controversy concerning the Election of a arguments used on both sides, than MATHEMATICAL PROFESSOR.

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2. Postscript to ditto, 8vo. Is. 3. Report of Proceedings in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland relating to the case of Mr Leslie. 2d edit. 8vo. 58. 4. An Examination of Mr Dugald Stewart's Pamphlet, relative to the late election of a Mathematical Professor in the University of Edinburgh. By one of the Ministers of Edinburgh, 2d edit. 8vo, 2s. 6d.

Since Scotland ceased to be the theatre of great political events, no subject has excited a higher or more general interest, than that to which we are now about to call the attention of our readers. It was impossi

to obtrude on the public any opinion of our own. Should this be performed with success, it will, to the reader of the present day, present, in a smaller compass, what is at present dispersed through a variety of publications; and to posterity, which will be better qualified than we are to decide on the question, it will furnish the materials of its judgment in a more compact and permanent form.

In order to bring our materials into some kind of order, we shall divide them into three parts.

I. An Historical Summary of the

proceedings from their commencement to the decision of the General Assembly. Here, we shall proceed upon the principle, that all facts are true, which are either agreed upon by both parties, or are asserted by one party, and not contradicted by the other.

II. An outline of the arguments used

on both sides, as collected from the debates in the General Assembly, and from the publications of the Ministers on the one side, and

of

of Messrs. Stewart, Brown and Playfair on the other.

III. A view of the controversy concerning academical pluralities, which was begun in Mr Stewart's Short Statement, and carried on in the publications of the Ministers, and of Mr Playfair.

On the 30th of January 1805, the University of Edinburgh lost one of its brightest ornaments, by the death of the late Dr John Robison, Professor of Natural Philosophy. The eminence with which that chair had been occupied, both by him, and by his predecessors; among whom were, Sir Robert Stewart, Sir John Stewart, son to the former, Dr Adam Ferguson, and Mr Russell, caused a general anxiety among the friends of literature, that it should be filled by a person who was duly qualified. Nothing in this view could give more general satisfaction than the nomination of Mr Playfair, whose acknowledged talents and long services in the mathematical class, clearly pointed him out as the most eligible person. generally was this felt, that every one of the numerous candidates ap- plied only for that office of the two, which Mr Playfair should consider as the least eligible.

So

a

The mathematical chair having thus become vacant, the first candidate that offered was Mr Macknight, one of the Ministers of Edin. burgh, of whose abilities and acquirements, particularly in this department of science, both Mr Stewart and Mr Playfair express favourable opinion. As this gentle. man, in the course of the preceding session, while the professors of Greek and Natural Philosophy were both indisposed, had discharged the duties of these two classes, very much to the satisfaction of the University and the public, these extraordinary services seemed deserving of some re

turn. At an early period, a conversation took place on this subject between Mr Macknight and Mr Stewart, in which the latter expressed his hope, that Mr Macknight would, in case of success, resign his ecclesiastical living, in which he understood that gentleman to acquiesce, provided the object of his ambition could

not be otherwise attained. It was that Mr Macknight, in compliance understood, however, soon afterwards,

with the advice of some of his friends, had determined to abandon the professorship, rather than relinquish his

ecclesiastical character for its attainment and that his pretension to both offices was supported by Mr Ranken, who was known to be pos Town Council of Edinburgh *. Such sessed of very great influence in the was the alarm felt by Mr Stewart at

this intelligence, that he immediately determined on a step to which nothing, as he states, could have indu ced him, but a conviction that the ruin of the University was threatened by such an union of offices becoming general. He determined therefore the Lord Provost, in which he strongto write a letter on the subject to ly urges the impropriety of the measure now in contemplation. This was seconded by Mr Playfair in a the different respects in which he longer letter, where he recapitulates conceives this union of offices as likęly to prove pernicious to the interests of science. These letters belong properly to our third division; at present, it may be sufficient to observe, that the arguments urged in them appeared so convincing to the Lord Pro. Vost, and others concerned in the election, that they determined upon

ex

* As the motives of Mr Macknight's he acted, have become a subject of conresolution, and the advice under which troversy, we shall defer them to a fuiture division of the argument.

excluding every candidate who was not prepared to devote himself entirely to the duties of his academical office. As Mr Macknight therefore

still adhered to the resolution of not resigning his church, his claims were necessarily set aside.

Meanwhile, the chief magistrate, being determined to do nothing precipitately in so important a business, continued to receive the recommendations of the different candidates.The claims of one soon appeared so decidedly superior to that of all the rest, as to leave no room for hesita tion. Mr Leslie had just received, by the unanimous resolution of the Council of the Royal Society of London, Count Ramford's prize for his experimental enquiry concerning heat, published in the course of the preceding year, and this was accompanied by a letter from the President, Sir Joseph Banks, which added greatly to its value. Strong testi monies in favour of his talents and character were also given by Dr Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal; Dr Hutton, Professor of Mathematics in the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich; the late Professor Robison; Mr Baron Maseres; Sir William Erskine of Torry, Mr Dempster of Dunnichen, Mr Josias, and Mr Thomas Wedgewoods, Dr Hunter of St Andrews, Mr Playfair and Mr Stewart *. In consequence of this weight of recommendation, it was generally understood, that the election would fall upon Mr Leslie. This design however met with an unexpected opposition.

In a note upon a particular part of his essay on Heat, Mr Leslie had introduced the following passage:

"Mr Hume is the first, as far as I know, who has treated of causation in a truly philosophic manner.

His es

say on Necessary Connexion seems a model of clear and accurate reasoning.

* Short Statement, p. 27, 28.

But it was only wanted to dispel the cloud of mystery which had so long darkened that important subject. The unsophisticated sentiments of mankind

are in perfect unison with the deductions of logic, and imply nothing more at bottom, in the relation of cause and effect, than a constant and invariable sequence. Sh. Stat. 31.

Mr Leslie then endeavoured, in a long etymological discussion, to shew that the words in all languages, which denote cause, had no signification beyond that of mere priority. From this passage the Ministers inferred that Mr Leslie had expressed his full

assent to those doctrines on which Hume founded his atheistical opini ons, and was therefore totally unfit to be entrusted with the educa

tion of youth. To justify their interference on this occasion, they referred to the charter of James VI. erecting the university of Edinburgh, by which the right of nominating Professors was committed to the Provost, Bailies, and Council of the City, cum avisamento tamen eorum ministrorum (yet with the advice of their Ministers.) The Ministers therefore intimated their expectation, that before proceeding to elect a professor, the Town Council should make a formal application to them for advice, which would no doubt be given most decidedly against Mr Leslie.

It does not very distinctly appear in what manner these statements and claims were originally brought for. ward; Mr Stewart speaks of obscure insinuations against Mr Leslie*; while the Ministers absolutely deny that they ever used any such t.From the language of the protest

it would seem that this communication, as well as that relating to the avisamentum, had passed between individual members of the presbytery, and

* Short Statement, p. 28. f Examination, p. 62, 63.

HoweLeslie learned

and of the Town Counte ver, as soon as M the opposition that was making to him, he wrote a letter to Mr Muir, a member of the Town Council, in which he thus expresses himself:

"It was my lot to receive a most virtuous, and religious education, in the bosom of a family eminently distinguished by its exemplary lives; and the impressions of my early years, no distance of time or change of circumstances, can ever efface. If my mind is more enlarged by culture, I have likewise learned to see more deeply the importance of those truths which bind men together in society, and which, visiting their inmost recesses, appal the guilty, and hold forth comfort to the wretched. I have ever been a sincere lover of peace, of decency, and good order. My time has been almost wholly spent in abstract researches, and the study of the sublime operations of nature. The questions, so much agitated of late, served, with me, only to amuse a few leisure moments; and even at that eventful period, when the minds of men, and particularly of young men, were so violently inflamed, I escaped in a great measure the contagion. I sighed, indeed, for the improvement of our species; but the slightest appearance of tumult, or popular violence, was most abhorrent to my temper. I never had the remotest connection with any party or political association whatever. In the spirit of mildness, I endeavoured to think and act for myself. My sentiments of loyalty had been confirmed by what I had seen during a short stay in America, where I witnessed the disgusting and pernicious influence assumed by an ignorant, licentious, and dissolute rabble.The respect which I have always entertained for the principles of our constitution, has continued to encrease in proportion as my experience was enlarged by the opportunities which I have had of viewing other countries. Time also has sobered and matured my reflections. I have seen monstrous and savage anarchy terminate in the most frightful military despotism; and I have seen the cries of frenzy and impiety changed into hypocritical pretensions of regard to a corrupt system of worship, employed

as the support of tyranny and usurpation. It is our native island, that presents the truly cheering picture of equal. laws mildly administered; and holds up a body of religious institutions, at once rational, decent, and impressive. "I venerate the great principles of our Christian faith, and am solicitous to mark, by my external behaviour, that respect which I cherish. Raising my affections above this little spot of earth, the restless scene of intrigue, and strife and malice, I look forward, with joy and expectation, to that better country beyond the grave." Rep. Page 30.

At the same time Mr Oliphant, Minister of Largo in Fife, the parish where Mr Leslie was accustomed to reside, wrote to the following purpose:

"Mr John Leslie has had not only the advantage of a Christian education, but had also the powerful instruction that arises from the practice of religion.

"The pursuits in which Mr John Leslie has been engaged made his residence at Largo irregular; but, when at home, and especially for these two years past, I have the satisfaction of saying, that he paid a becoming respect to religion. If great abilities, highly improved, if an unstained moral character, and a tender discharge of every filial duty, reccommend to confidence and esteem, these belong to him."

Rep. p. 28.

The Reverend Thomas Laurie, Minister of Newburn, the neighbouring parish, in a letter to Mr Hill, City Treasurer, bore a similar testimony :

"I have lived in habits of friendship with him for some time past: I have had an opportunity of knowing his religious and political sentiments: I have been furnished, in short, with satisfactory evidence of his attachement to our ecclesiastical and civil establishament.His father officiated long as a worthy elder of our church: his son was once a student of divinity: and though he has not prosecuted his theological studies, having been much engaged in other literary pursuits, I never heard that he had ceased to respect the doc

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