prophets would have
elicited less applause and laughter.

"Shortly before two, the city magistrates and a few other personages
mounted the platform, and, with as much quietness as the fancy of the
students directed, took the seats which had been marked out for them
by large red pasteboard tickets. At two precisely the students in
the organ gallery started to the tops of the seats and began to cheer
vociferously, and almost instantly all the audience followed their
example. The procession was on its way through the hall, and in half
a minute Lord Provost Chambers, in his official robes, mounted the
platform stair; then Principal Sir David Brewster and Lord Rector
Carlyle, both in their gold-laced robes of office; then the Rev. Dr.
Lee, and the other professors, in their gowns; also the LL.D.'s to be,
in black gowns. Lord Neaves and Dr. Guthrie were there in an LL.D.'s
black gown and blue ribbons; Mr. Harvey, the President of the Royal
Academy, and Sir D. Baxter, Bart.--men conspicuous in their plain
clothes.

"Dr. Lee offered up a prayer of a minute and a half, at the 'Amen' of
which I could see Mr. Carlyle bow very low. Then the business of the
occasion commenced. Mr. Gibson--a tall, thin, pale-faced, beardless,
acute, composed-looking young gentleman, in an M.A.'s gown--introduced
Mr. Carlyle, 'the most distinguished son of the University,' to the
Principal, Sir David Brewster, as the Lord Rector elected by the
students. Sir David saluted him as such, thinking, perhaps, of the
time when, an unknown young man, Thomas Carlyle wrote articles for
Brewster's 'Cyclopaedia,' and got Brewster's name to introduce to
public notice his translation of Legendre's 'Geometry.' Next Professor
Muirhead, for the time being the Dean of the Faculty of Laws in the
University, introduced various gentlemen to the Principal in order,
as persons whom the senate had thought worthy of the degree of LL.D.,
giving a dignified, but not always very happy, account of the merits
of each. There was Mr. Erskine, of Linlathen, Mr. Carlyle's host for
the time being, and often previously, an old friend of Irving and
Chalmers, himself the writer of various elegant and sincere religious
books, and one of the best and most amiable of men. If intelligent
goodness ever entitled any one to the degree of LL.D., he certainly
deserves it; and when I say this, I do not insinuate that on grounds
of pure intellect he is not well entitled to the honour. He is now, I