F/ROM the date at which we have now arrived, we have a succession of distinguished men testifying to the benefit they received.from the instruction imparted in the departments of logic and moral philosophy in the Scotch colleges.As being among the eminently successful teachers of his age, we have to give a place to John Stevenson, professor of Logic or {108} "Rational and Instrumental philosophy" in the University of Edinburgh.Dugald Stewart says of him that to his ,valuable prelections, particularly to his illustrations of Aristotle's "Poetics," and of Longinus on the "Sublime," Dr.Robertson has been often heard to say, that lie considered himself as more deeply indebted than to any other circumstance in his academic studies." "I derived," says Dr.Somerville, "more substantial benefit from these exercises and lectures than from all the public classes I attended at the university."Similar testimony is borne by the famous leader of the evangelical party in the Church of Scotland, Dr.Erskine (see Life by Sir Henry W.Moncreiff).The course of instruction followed by Stevenson is given in the Scots Magazine, and is well worthy of being quoted as an exhibition of the highest style of education imparted in the age.He gives lectures upon "Heineccii Elementa Philosopliae Rationalis," and Wynne's abridgment of Locke's "Essay upon the Human Understanding: " in which he explains all the different forms of reasoning, the nature of certainty both mathematical and moral, with the different degrees of probability; and shows how the understanding is to be conducted in our inquiries after truth of all kinds.He likewise explains the fundamental rules to be observed in the interpretation of the texts of very ancient authors.He teaches metaphysics in lectures upon De Vries's "Ontologia,"in which he explains the several terms and distinctions which frequently occur in the writings of the learned.He also lectures upon Longinus, in which he illustrates the several precepts of oratory given by Cicero and Quintilian;and also, upon Aristotle, in which he illustrates his rules by examples from ancient and modern poets, and explains the grounds of criticism in eloquence and poetry.He gives likewise a course upon "Heineccii Historia Philosophica," in which he gives an account of the most famous philosophers ancient and modern, and the several opinions by which the different sects were distinguished.Each of his students is required to make a discourse upon a subject assigned him, and to impugn and defend a thesis, for his improvement in the art of reasoning.These exercises are performed before the principal and some of the professors with open doors.
The students met him two hours daily; one of them was devoted to lectures on logic, delivered in the Latin tongue.
It is stated that the college opens about the 10th of October, and rises about the end of May.The shortening of the length of the session in the colleges of Scotland, in later years, has done much to lower the standard of attainment.
John Stevenson was appointed professor in Edinburgh, in 1730, and died Sept.12th, 1775, in the eighty-first year of his age.It is mentioned to his credit, by Stewart, that at the age of seventy be gave a candid reception to the philosophy of Reid, which was subversive of the theories which he had taught for forty years; and that "his zeal for the advancement of knowledge prompted him, when his career was almost finished, to undertake the laborious task of new-modelling that useful compilation of elementary instruction to which a singular diffidence of his powers limited his literary exertions." (Stewart's " Life and Writings of Reid.") {109}