ANDERSON, JOHN, gratefully remem bered in Scotland as the founder of the Ander sonian Institution of Glasgow, and one of the earliest promoters of that popular instruction in science which has so greatly elevatedthe cha ratter of British artisans, was born in the parish of Roscneath, Dumbartonshire, in 1726. He was appointed professor of Natural Philo sophy at Glasgow in 1760; and not content with the ordinary duty of lecturing, he em ployed himself indefatigably in studying and exemplifying the applications of science to the useful arts, visiting for this purpose the workshops of intelligent artisans, and exchang ing his scientific information for their experi mental knowledge. The better to carry out his views of popular education, Anderson commenced, in addition to his ordinary class, one which he styled his anti-toga class, for the instruction of artisans and others unable to enter upon a regular academical course, to whom he delivered familiar extempore lectures illustrated by experiments. Mechanics were allowed to attend these lectures in their work ing-dress. He closed his useful career in 1796. Shortly before his death he devised his whole property to eighty-one trustees, for the establishment in Glasgow of an institution to be denominated Anderson's University, for the continued provision of those facilities for the un-academical classes of his townsmen which he had so long supplied by his own personal exertions. His comprehensive de
sign was for an institution consisting of four colleges, with nine professors each, for arts, medicine, law, and theology ; but as the funds proved insufficient for so extensive a scheme, operations were commenced in 1797, on a limited scale, by the appointment of Dr. Thomas Garnett as professor of natural phi losophy. His first course of lectures was at tended by nearly a thousand persons, of both sexes. In the following year a professor of mathematics and geography was appointed ; and, though the institution has never attained the magnitude contemplated by the founder, it has been progressively increased and ex tended in usefulness, and has been produc tive of much public benefit. Dr. Garnett was succeeded in 1709 by Dr. Birkbeck, on occa sion of his removal to the Royal Institution in London, which was formed on a similar model to that established by Anderson; and Dr. Birkbeck, who introduced a new course of instruction for five hundred operative me chanics, free of all expense, was succeeded in 1801 by Dr. Ure.