A SCOTCH PROFESSOR.

Western Star, Issue 977, 29 August 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

A SCOTCH PROFESSOR.

Professor ,of the medical faculty of the University of Edinburgh, now some years dead, was noted for his miserly habits, though in reality he wasjarich man, the proprietor of several ancestral estates.

He once observed a Highland student —proverbially a poor set —about to pick up a penny, in the college quad, but just as he was about to pick it up the learned professor gave him a push which sent the poor fellow right over, when Dr. coolly pocketed the coin and walked on, amidst the laughter of a crowd of students who were watching' the scene.

He did not always stick at trifles. Q-oing down the crowded street, he saw a street boy pick up a shilling. Instantly the professor chucked it out of the lad's hand, and thenjholding it between his thumb and finger, with his gold-headed cane in the other hand, carefully guarding it, he read the whimpering boy a long lecture on honesty being the best policy; how the " coin" was not his; how it might belong to some,poor man whose family might be suffering for the want of that coin, and so on, concluding by pocketing the shilling, and charging the finder that if ever he heard of anybody having lost that shilling, to say that Professor had got it. " Everyone knows me. It's quite safe. Honesty, my lad, is always the best policy. Remember that, and read your catechism well." On one occasion he was called in in consultation with Professor Q-regory about a patient of bis who happened to be a student of medicine. The day previously, however, Dr. Gregory had called alone, and on going away was offered the customary guinea. Tiiis the stately, physician firmly refused; he never took fees from students.

The patient replied that Professor did.

Immediately Gregory's face brightened up. I will be here to-morrow in consultation with him. Be good enough to offer me a fee before him, sir." To-morrow came, and the student did as he had been requested "What is that, sir?' asked Dr. Gregory, looking at the proffered guinea. " A fee sir!" Do you mean to insult me, sir ? What do you take us to be—cannibals ? Do we live on one another ? No, sir ! The man who would take a fee from a student of his own profession ought to be kicked—kicked, sir, out of the faculty ! Good morning." And with that the celebrated physician walked to the door in well-affect-ed displeasure. Next day, to the astonishment of the patient, Professor- sent a packet with all the fees returned.

It is said that he once took a bag of potatoes for his fee, and ever afterwards boasted of his generosity in the matter.

' The man was a poorjtnan, sir, We must be liberal, sir. Oar Master enjoins it on us, and it is recommended in a fine passage in the admirable aphorisms of Hippocrates. The man had no money, sir, so I had to deal gently with him and take what he had j though, as a rule, I prefer the modern to the ancient exchange, peounia instead of pecus. Hi! ha!" He is said to have been the hero of the following story:— A beggar seeing him pick up a farthing begged to get it. "N& na, puir body," was the firm refusal; " fin' a fardin for yersel!', This is not true, however, though the story loses nothing in the exchange of dramatis personoe. Its real hero was a certain noble earl.