The procession was on its way through the hall, and in half
a minute Lord Provost Chambers, in his official robes, mounted the
platform stair; then Principal Sir David Brewster and Lord Rector
Carlyle, both in their gold-laced robes of office; then the Rev. Dr.
Lee, and the other professors, in their gowns; also the LL.D.'s to be,
in black gowns. Lord Neaves and Dr. Guthrie were there in an LL.D.'s
black gown and blue ribbons; Mr. Harvey, the President of the Royal
Academy, and Sir D. Baxter, Bart.--men conspicuous in their plain
clothes.
"Dr. Lee offered up a prayer of a minute and a half, at the 'Amen' of
which I could see Mr. Carlyle bow very low. Then the business of the
occasion commenced. Mr. Gibson--a tall, thin, pale-faced, beardless,
acute, composed-looking young gentleman, in an M.A.'s gown--introduced
Mr. Carlyle, 'the most distinguished son of the University,' to the
Principal, Sir David Brewster, as the Lord Rector elected by the
students. Sir David saluted him as such, thinking, perhaps, of the
time when, an unknown young man, Thomas Carlyle wrote articles for
Brewster's 'Cyclopaedia,' and got Brewster's name to introduce to
public notice his translation of Legendre's 'Geometry.
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