The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

272 LETTERS, TRACTS, ^C,^one thing \and as we had been long obliged and accuftomedto do lb, we fkipped haftily from one fortof reading to another ; an error which we have notyet been able thoroughly to correfb. It is howevermanifeft, that one thing at a time ought principallyto have been inculcated \ but we who ourfelves contrivefchemes of profit, can eafily fee for whofe benefitthe m.ultiplicity of private claiTes was firft fet onfoot, and continues flill to be purfued.The things we have flightly noticed will in fomefort account for the fmall morfel of knowledge mofl:of us brought from the feat of learning ; and if wein the city have little erudition, our college-companionsin the country have not more : "We muft, andwe will affirm, that it is very rare to find a countrygentleman bred at the fame univerfity, who is in taileand in extent of knowledge any degree above ourfelves,though they have had much more kifure topurfue knowledge than fuited with our act:ive and,bufy way of life ; a prefumption, both that thethings taught were improper, and that the method ofteaching them laboured under fome ellential defedb.Nay, we mufl be forgiven to fay it,the learned profeflbrsfeem to be convinced cf all this, and to be ofthe fame opinion with ourfelves. They had latelytwo vacancies in the univerfity in their own difpofalThey looked round the country, and confidered theabilities of all the clergymen and ftudents who hadbeen educated by themfelvesj and among fuch agreat number, they could find none, that, even intheir own opinion, were qualified to fill them. Theymade choice of a clergyman at a great diftance, andof a ftudent, who both of them had got their educationat other univerfities by which flep, they refleftedall the honour they could on thefe two worthy•,men ; but at the fame time made an open and candidacknowledgment of the wretchednefs of their plan,and of their own debility and ill fuccef? at begetting