Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of Aberdeen on His Installation as Rector, Mar. 22, 1867

Inaugural Address Delivered To The University Of Aberdeen On His Installation As Rector, Mar. 22, 1867 — Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff. Mountstuart Duff delivers the inaugural address on his installation as Rector of the University of Aberdeen (1867). He outlines a framework for higher education in Scotland, contrasting Scottish needs with Oxford and Cambridge. He argues that Scottish universities cannot match the wealth of the English and should focus on the essential branches of knowledge, integrating arts and sciences, and stresses the value of classical training as a luxury rather than a compulsory burden. He proposes three levels of classical education, including secondary, broader historical education, and professional scholarship, and calls for specialized chairs in archaeology, ancient geography, numismatics, and related fields. Duff advocates modernizing curricula, increasing attention to geography, history, and political economy, and expanding science and medical teaching. He urges government and private munificence to bolster Scottish universities, promote study abroad in Germany and France, and strengthen links with English and continental institutions. The address exhorts students to pursue knowledge, public service, and defend truth amid changing times.