successful in doing the right thing, nor have I done anything that is worthy of such consideration from my friends. I believe my way is to make yet." But though perfectly aware he possessed a large body of the sincerest adınirers, he was also aware his independent conduct had created numerous jealousies among that considerable section of the clergy of the Free Church, who possess no higher idea of the function of a newspaper editor, than that he should be the echo of their every crotchet and every whim. Naturally enough these gentlemen felt irritated "this courser of the sun could not be yoked in the harness of the dray-horse." It was only to be anticipated the consciousness such feelings were entertained respecting him would have strengthened his distaste for ecclesiastical controversy; and during several of the last years of his life, he took but little interest in those squabbles which furnish so much excitement to polemical divines. He saw, moreover, what too many ecclesiastics did not see-that since the Disruption other foes to truth, and other antagonists to Christianity had arisen, than any against whom the Free Church had lifted her protest. Not some mere outwork or unimportant position of the evidences of revealed religion was now called in question, but its most fundamental verities. A pseudo-philosophy sought to supersede creation by development. "Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation," and the discoveries of good Mr. Crosse, it was thought, were about to resolve life into a compound of albumen and electricity, and track the genealogy of man through a maze of degrading links down to not the monkey only, but the mollusc. Based upon the speculations of Lamark and Oken, and gathering into itself whatever seemed the semblance of support from all the realms of science, written in a popular and fascinating style, the "Vestiges" had nearly as great a run as the last novel. In its unprecedented popularity, Mr. Miller felt a call to put forth what he deemed the theory of true science on the subjects it mainly treated. Without loss of time, the "Footprints of the Creator” was got ready. From the facts of science, and on the soundest principles of the inductive philosophy, did Hugh Miller demolish the specious sophisms of the "Vestiges." This work largely enhanced his reputation. The "Footprints" were noticed with approbation by the most eminent savans of Europe. A reply was attempted in the sequel to the "Vestiges," but no effectual rejoinder was made to the argument of Mr. Miller, while the breastwork of facts with which he had fortified his theory remained unshaken. Meanwhile Lord Rosse's telescope exploded the nebular hypothesis. The basis of his theory overthrown, the author of the "Vestiges" was taught, in a sense more saddening than Campbell sung them, the truth of those well-known lines "When science from creation's face Enchantment's veil withdraws, What lovely visions yield their place Friends who knew the growing devotion of Mr. Miller to purely scientific studies, and who rejoiced in the splendid results of those studies, from this time bethought themselves if it were not possible to procure for him some position where he might give himself unreservedly to the work to which he seemed eager to consecrate his best energies. His own high literary and scientific fame, the devotion with which he had served the cause of the Disruption, together with the admirable business arrangements of his copartner in the proprietary of the Witness, Mr. Fairley, had made of that journal an excellent newspaper property. What was wanted was simply that Mr. Miller might be secured some situation where he would not be subjected to the incessant toil constant contribution to a public journal necessarily entails. At this juncture he was offered, through the Marquis of Breadalbane, a Government situation, very similar to the situation Wordsworth so long held. The duties would have been merely nominal, but he would have been responsible for considerable sums of money passing through the hands of his subordinates. The appointment would have yielded a salary of some £800 per annum, and what of work he would have required to do, was of a nature which his early training in the bank would have enabled him to discharge with the utmost ease. He had been all but persuaded to accept the situation. His friends, Drs. Guthrie and Hanna, accompanied him to the chambers of the political agent who would have ratified the formalities of the appointment. Before entering the office he hesitated, asked his friends a few minutes for further consideration, and pacing up and down Heriot Row, he suddenly stopped, and addressing Dr. Hanna, said, "Doctor, I have made up my mind to refuse. I find my memory not now so good as it was formerly. I forget things I was wont to remember with ease. I am not clear in such circumstances about taking upon me any money responsibility." Remonstrance was vain; his resolution was fixed. No persuasion of friends could induce him to alter his resolve. He felt he could not conscientiously take the situation. Was this confusion of memory which already haunted him, a premonition of that more awful confusion in which not memory alone, but reason and life, were ultimately extinguished? Such was, we believe, the first and the last attempt made to secure for Mr. Miller a position where he might have given himself wholly to the special duties in which he felt so paramount an interest. At an early period of his connexion with the Witness, he had been offered a situation on the Times. The salary was such as showed the high estimate of his powers entertained in Printing House Square; but circumstances precluded its acceptance. Afterwards, in the city of his adoption, and in connection with the university, chairs were vacant none could have filled more worthily, but no chair was ever offered him. Had the author of "The Old Red Sandstone" been appointed Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh, in a few years his class would have become as popular as were the moral philosophy classes of Dugald Stewart, Thomas Brown, and Professor Wilson, or as was the class of logic and metaphysics under Sir William Hamilton. And yet, now that all is done, perhaps there is a greater symmetry about the life of this self-made man as it is, than had fortune lifted him out of the peculiar sphere in which he had gathered so much renown, into any government or municipal appointment. In the last years of his life, awakened to a conception of the importance of diffusing a taste for science among his countrymen, throwing aside his constitutional reserve, Mr. Miller betook himself to the lecture-room, and on not a few platforms, both in his native land and across the border, did he discourse on his favourite study. The date, we believe, of his first appearance in this new capacity is 1852. His audience, on the occasion of |