June 24.—­It was my father’s own son, as John Hielandman said, who did little both yesterday and to-day—­I mean little in the way of literary work, for, as to positive work, I have been writing letters about Chancery business till I am sick of it.  There was a long hearing, and while Jeffrey exerted his eloquence in the Inner House, I plied my eloquence de billet in the Library.  So, on the whole, I am no bad boy.  Besides, the day is not yet over.

June 25.—­I was surprised to hear that our Academy Rector, Williams, has renounced the chair of Roman learning in the new London University.  His alarm was excited by the interest taken by the prelates in opposing a High Church institution to that desired by Mr. Brougham.  Both the Bishops and Williams have been unwise.  The former have manoeuvred ill.  They should, in the outset, have taken the establishment out of the hands of the Whigs, without suffering them to reinforce themselves by support from [others].  And Williams was equally precipitate in joining an institution which a small degree of foresight might have assured him would be opposed by his spiritual superiors.  However, there he stands, deprived of his professorship by his resignation, and of his rectorship by our having engaged with a successor.  I think it very doubtful whether the Bishops will now [admit] him into their alliance.  He has in that case offended both parties.  But if they are wise, they will be glad to pick up the best schoolmaster in Europe, though he comes for the present Graia ex urbe.  I accomplished more than my task to-day.

June, 26.—­Wrote a long letter to Lockhart about Williams’ situation, saying how, by sitting betwixt two stools, he

“----- Had fallen with heavy thump
Upon his reverential rump,”

and how the Bishops should pick him up if they wanted their establishment to succeed.  It is an awkward position in which Williams has placed himself.  He loses the Whig chair, and has perhaps no chance of favour from the High Church for having been willing to accept it.  Even if they now give him promotion, there will be a great outcry on his having left one institution to join another.  He would be thick-skinned if he stands the clamour.  Yet he has to all appearance rather sacrificed than advanced his interest.  However, I say again, the Bishops ought not to omit securing him.

Mr. Macintosh Mackay breakfasted with me, modest, intelligent, and gentle.  I did my duty and more in the course of the day.

I am vexed about Mackay missing the church of Cupar in Angus.  It is in the Crown’s gift, and Peel, finding that two parties in the town recommended two opposite candidates, very wisely chose to disappoint them both, and was desirous of bestowing the presentation on public grounds.  I heard of this, and applied to Mr. Peel for Macintosh Mackay, whose quiet patience and learning are accompanied by a most excellent character