27 NOVEMBER 1880, Page 3

The students of the University of St. Andrew's have chosen

for their Lord Rector, Sir Theodore Martin, in preference to Mr. Freeman,—that is, the" Historian-in-waiting," as a witty foreign writer has dubbed Sir Theodore, in preference to the historian of the Norman Conquest. This is not to be greatly wondered at. The Queen is j ustly popular in Scotland, and the Queen's favourite chaplain is Principal of the University. These were great odds, and they won the day. Nevertheless, Sir Theodore Martin is a Court chronicler who has too often,—unconsciously of course,— distorted facts in the interests of a particular policy ; while Mr. Freeman is one of the most learned and accurate of the his- torians of our day. The students of St. Andrew's prefer gilt to gold.