rincipal Haldane, who was also a student at
Glasgow at the time, used to tell of seeing Jeffrey--a little,
black, quick-motioned creature with a rapid utterance and a
prematurely-developed moustache, on which his audience teased him
mercilessly--haranguing a mob of boys on the green and trying to rouse
them to their manifest duty of organising opposition to the
professors' nominee. His exertions failed, however, and Smith was
chosen without a contest.

On receiving intimation of his appointment Smith wrote to Principal
Davidson the following reply:--

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR--I have this moment received the
honour of your letter of the 15th instant. I accept with
gratitude and pleasure the very great honour which the
University of Glasgow have done me in electing me for the
ensuing year to be the Rector of that illustrious Body. No
preferment could have given me so much real satisfaction. No
man can own greater obligations to a Society than I do to
the University of Glasgow. They educated me, they sent me to
Oxford, soon after my return to Scotland they elected me one
of their own members, and afterwards preferred me to another
office to which the abilities and virtues of the
never-to-be-forgotten Dr. Hutcheson had given a superior
degree of illustration. The period of thirteen years which I
spent as a member of that Society, I remember as by far the
most useful and therefore as by far the happiest and most
honourable period of my life; and now, after
three-and-twenty years' absence, to be remembered in so very
agreeable a manner by my old friends and protectors gives me
a heartfelt joy which I cannot easily express to you.

I shall be happy to receive the commands of my colleagues
concerning the time when it may be convenient for them to do
me the honour of admitting me to the office. Mr. Millar
mentions Christmass. We have commonly at the Board of
Customs a vacation of five or six days at that time. But I
am so regular an attendant that I think myself entitled to
take the play for a week at any time. It will be no
inconveniency to me therefore to wait upon you at whatever
time you please. I beg to be remembered to my colleagues in
the most respectful and the most affectionate manner; and
that you would believe me to be, with great truth, reverend
and dear sir, y