Topographical dictionary of Scotland > Volume 1

ABER
ABER
northern extremity of the principal street, was built by
subscription, in 1/02, and has been since rebuilt ; it
contains a spacious hall for public meetings, a council-
room for the occasional use of the magistrates, and
various other apartments. In the upper floor is the
grammar school, and on the ground floor a school for
English. Opposite to the town-hall was formerly an
ancient cross, consisting of a pedestal bearing the arms
of the Bishops Dunbar, Stewart, and Gordon, from
which rose a pillar surmounted by an effigy of the Virgin
Mary; but this was removed on the rebuilding of the
hall.
Since the dissolution of
the episcopal see, the town
has owed its chief prosperity
and support to its university,
which was founded by Bishop
Elphinstone, in the reign of
James IV., who for that pur-
pose procured a bull from
Pope Alexander VI. ; the
college was first dedicated to
St. Mary, but, from the great
liberality of the monarch in
, J . .. , Seal or the University.
its endowment, it was subse- J "
quently called King's College, which designation it
has ever since retained. The first principal of the
college was Hector Boethius, the celebrated historian,
under whom, and his successors, it continued to flou-
rish till the Reformation, at which time many of its
functionaries were expelled. In 1578, the institution
received a charter from the parliament, after which it
languished, under the gross mismanagement of its prin-
cipals, who sold the ornaments of the chapel, alienated
the revenues for their own emolument, and committed
other abuses. In 1619, however, Bishop Forbes, by great
perseverance, recovered part of the alienated property,
and restored several of the professorships, to which, in
1628, he added a professorship of divinity, which was
afterwards held by his son. From this time, the insti-
tution revived, and continued to flourish till the intro-
duction of the covenant, for refusing to sign which
several of the professors were expelled, among whom
was Dr. Forbes, the divinity professor. Many of the
new professors appointed by the Covenanters, were, in
their turn, ejected by Cromwell, under whom General
Monk dispatched Colonels Desborough, Fenwick, and
others, to visit and reform the college ; but these
officers, though they removed some of the professors,
and appointed others, still promoted the general inte-
rests of the establishment, and subscribed liberally
towards the erection of houses for the students. After
the restoration of Charles II., the bishops of Aberdeen
assumed their authority as chancellors of the univer-
sity, and reformed the disorders which had been intro-
duced during the interregnum. The university, as at
present constituted, is under the direction of a chan-
cellor, generally a nobleman of high rank, who is elected
by the senatus academicus ; a rector, chosen by the
same body; and a principal and sub-principal, elected
by the rector, procuratores gentium, and the pro-
fessors, and admitted by the chancellor. There are
nine professorships, of which those of Greek, humanity,
medicine and chemistry, and civil law, are in the pa-
tronage of the rector, procuratores, and senatus acade-
20
micus; divinity in that of the synod of Aberdeen, the
principal and dean of faculty of theology ; those of
mathematics, natural philosophy, and moral philosophy,
in the patronage of the senatus academicus ; and that
of oriental languages, in the patronage of the crown.
There are also eleven lectureships, of which that on
practical religion is in the patronage of the trustees of
John Gordon, Esq., of Murtle, the founder ; and those
on the evidences and principles of the Christian religion,
Murray's Sunday lectures, materia medica, anatomy
aud physiology, surgery, practice of medicine, mid-
wifery, institutes of medicine, medical jurisprudence,
and botany, are all in the patronage of the senatus
academicus. The number of bursaries is above 150,
varying from £5 to £50 per annum, mostly tenable for
four years ; of these, 96 are open to public competition,
and the others are in the patronage of the professors of
the college, or representatives of the founders.
The site of the college occupies a quadrangular area
of considerable extent, surrounded with buildings raised
at diEFerent periods, of which the most ancient were
erected in 1500, and the whole possesses a strikingly
venerable appearance. In the north-west angle, is a
lofty massive tower, strengthened with canopied but-
tresses, bearing the royal arms of Scotland, and those
of Stewart, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, and others ;
above the parapet is a lantern, supported by flying but-
tresses springing from the angles, in the form of an
imperial crown. On the north side of the quadrangle is
the ancient chapel erected by Bishop Elphinstone, origi-
nally a stately structure of elegant design, with a lofty
spire, and internally embellished with most costly orna-
ments, which, as before noticed, were sold by the par-
liamentarian functionaries ; the nave is now appropriated
to the use of the college library, and the chancel to the
purposes of a college chapel. There are still remaining,
in the former portion, many traces of its pristine beauty,
and an inventory in Latin of the various ornaments of
the chapel ; and in the chancel are the rich tabernacle
work of the prebendal stalls, the pews for the diocesan
synod, the carved oak roof, and the tombs of Bishop El-
phinstone and the first principal, Boethius. The south
side of the quadrangle, rebuilt by Dr. Fraser, in 1725, is
of plain character, 112 feet in length, with a piazza in
front, and at each extremity was a circular tower, of
which one only is remaining. The common hall, which
is 60 feet in length, and 23 feet wide, contains numerous
portraits by Jamieson, including those of Bishops
Elphinstone, Dunbar, Forbes, Leslie, and Scougal, Pro-
fessors Sandiland and Gordon, George Buchanan, and
Queen Mary ; and in the committee-room is a painting,
on panel, of the college as it appeared in the sixteenth
century. The library contains a very valuable and ex-
tensive collection of books and manuscripts, and was
formerly entitled to a copy of every work entered at
Stationers' Hall, of which privilege it was deprived, by
act of parliament, in 1836, and, in compensation, has
since received an annual grant of £3'20. The museum
contains a large collection of specimens in mineralogy
and zoology, numerous Grecian and Roman coins and
antiquities, casts from ancient gems, and some valuable
books of engravings illustrative of these subjects ; this
department was, in 1790, enriched with the coins and
medals bequeathed by Dr. Cummin, of Andover, and
has been subsequently increased by numerous specimens.