James Frederick Ferrier

“ I fully and firmly believe that your honourable Board will act impartially in this matter, and will allow—as it should—their full weight to the Testimonials of every Candidate. It is quite true, that on occasions like these, a man's friends (whatever they may say at other times) are exceedingly prone to speak well of him—perhaps even to exaggerate his merits. ”

“ Some of the adherents of one of my worthy rivals have requested you to be extremely suspicious of all attestations except those which they themselves have bestowed, or which favour the Candidate whose interests they are anxious to promote. ”

“ The other consideration is one which enters more deeply into the merits of the case. The relevant facts which require to be thoroughly ascertained in a competition of this kind, and to which the Electors are bound to look as essential tests or proofs of competency for such a Chair, seem to be these two, and not more than these two—first, A Candidate's reputation in Authorship on subjects proper to the Chair; and, secondly, His success and soundness in teaching Philosophy. ”

“ One naturally asks—how or where did these favoured individuals obtain their special dispensation from the failing of over-partiality which they impute so liberally to others? The plea, so far as I can see, rests on no grounds, either of logic or metaphysics. ”

“ The second point—my success and soundness as a Teacher. My aptitude for dealing with the business of a philosophical class is established—and, as I again venture to think, as strongly established as it could well be—by the attestations of the following gentlemen, most of whom have been eye and ear witnesses of what they certify:—Brewster, Haldane, Hetherington, Swinton, Cook, Buist, Duncan, Day, Jackson, Brown, Pyper, Sellar, Berry, Taylor, Grant, Blackie, Tulloch, Students. ”