PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

Summary

The writer wishes to acknowledge her great indebtedness to Mrs Blackie, who not only intrusted her with the letters, MSS., and papers from which the biography has been compiled, but has shown the most constant and helpful interest in the work; to Dr Stodart Walker, who supplied her with notes on the Professor's relations with the students of Edinburgh University, and on the incidents of his last illness; to Professor Mackinnon, for many facts connected with the founding of the Celtic Chair; to Professor Cowan, for his reminiscences of the Greek Class, and for information referring to the Travelling Greek Scholarship; to Dr Donaldson, Principal of the University of St Andrews, for information with regard to University Reform; to Dr Forbes White, Mr Burness, Dr Gardiner, Mr George Seton, Sir Arthur Mitchell, and other friends of Professor Blackie's, for reminiscences and anecdotes of importance to the presentation of his individuality; to Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B., for greatly esteemed interest and suggestions; to the executors of the late Mr J. A. Froude, and to many others, for their kind permission to quote from letters written to Professor Blackie; to the executors of the late Sheriff Nicolson, for their kind permission to make quotations from his poems; to Mr David Douglas, for furnishing statistics of publications; and, finally, to Mr Blackwood, for his unwearied interest and encouragement during the progress of the biography.

The writer has taken advantage of the present edition to revise the whole very carefully; to make use of the many valuable suggestions to which the circulation of its earlier editions gave rise; and to correct slips in the original work.