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Document : 619

Title: Student Complaint about Professor James Moor

Author(s): Anonymous

Whereas every Profeſsor in this College ought to exercise
discipline over his students with prudence, temper and moderation,
and whereas violent paſsion and Frantic behaviour in a
Profeſsor when teaching his students must weaken his
authority and hurt his usefullneſs; And Whereas a Profeſsor
by beating students when he is in a paſsion, with weapons
capable of giving a deadly wound may endanger their
lives; And Therefore the Enormities above mentioned in
Profeſsors Ought to be Censured and Punished in
such a manner as may effectually prevent them for the
future; and prevent the loſs and dishonour that may arise
to the College from such behaviour and Discipline Yet it
is true That you Doctor James Moor Profeſsor of Greek in
Glasgow College have been guilty of all or part of the
enormities above mentioned In so far as in the Room within
the College called the Greek Claſs and between the hours of
four and five afternoon upon the twenty fifth day of November
last or upon one or other of the days of that Month or of the
present Month of December You came down from your Desk
and in presence of the Students then Conveened laid hold
of James Matthie Student in the Logic Claſs a very little boy,
you pulled him out of his seat into the floor of the said
Room; You lifted up one of the Candlesticks which stood upon
the floor by the upper end while the candle was burning
in it, which Candlestick is a thick piece of wood about three
feet long with a croſs of thick wood for a pedestal And
which is a Weapon with which a deadly wound may
be given, and the Candle having fallen out of the said
Candlestick while the Pedestal of it was raised above
your head You did in paſsion with the said Candlestick
give the said James Matthie several strokes upon his
body And afterwards the said James Matthie having fallen

among the seats in the said Room You again did with
the Pedestal of the said Candlestick strike the said James
Matthie when lying among the seats. And while you was
acting in this outrageous manner towards the said James
Matthie You gave him the opprobious names of Wretch,
Scoundrel, Puppy, And after the said James Matthie had
left the said Room you threw his Gown into the fire and
burnt it in the presence of the students and which farther
shews your determined purpose in the above mentioned
proceeding You did on the next day thereafter or in
some day of that Month desire Walter McLew a College servant to
knock down any of the students who should spoil the
Candles in the Claſs At Least you the said Doctor James
Moor in the place and at the time before mentioned did
aſsault and beat the said James Matthie and behave
to him in a manner highly inconsistent with the proper
discipline of the College and highly unsuitable to the
Character and behaviour of a Profeſsor Which being
proved before the Faculty of Glasgow College together
with the Rector and Dean of the University of Glasgow or
the Majority thereof You Ought to be Censured and
Punished according as such offences and Enormities deserve
The Above is the Scroll of the Lybel
drawn by the Committee, & laid before the Faculty 12th of Dec 1772
Will. Leechman

Liſt of Witneſses
James Mathie Student in Logic Claſs.
James Robertſon Student in Ethic Claſs.
James Steven in Ethic Claſs.
John Findlay in Do.
Robt Wodrow Student in Logic Claſs.
Patrick Graham in Do.
George Hill in Do.
Stephen Rowand in Ethic Claſs.
William Ronald in the same
James Marſhall in the Logic Claſs.
John Moors in Do.
John Buchanan in the Greek Claſs.
William Hamilton in Do.
John Young in Do.
William Smith in the Logic Claſs.
Robert Gray in Do.
Robert Croſs Chamber Keeper to the College
Walter McLew aſiſtant to Robert Croſs.
