We wish it could be said of Syme that all his disputes were as happily concluded. His intimate friend Dr. Belfrage, minister of Slateford, whom he consulted in all his difficulties, told him “he was always right in the matter, but often wrong in the manner, of his quarrels;” and this must be held to account in part for the number and seriousness of the controversies in which he became involved, few of which, however, need be referred to here. It may be questioned whether, on numerous occasions when Mr. Syme defended himself against attacks or brought actions for damages, he would not have done better to content himself with appealing to his well-known character and attainments, and living down aspersions. But Gregory and others in Edinburgh had left an evil habit of controversy in the air; and though Syme was more moderate than his predecessors, he often had his hands full. Although he was himself a great improver of professional practice, he was really a conservative in his attitude towards other men and new methods. His opposition to Simpson’s discovery of anæsthetics, and to his introduction of acupressure for closing cut blood-vessels without the use of a ligature, is an example of this. It is to be noted, however, that Syme’s numerous controversies left no detrimental impression on the public, and did not detract from the warmth of affection which a host of friends testified towards him. Liston’s removal to London left Syme practically in possession of the leading surgical practice in Scotland at the age of thirty-five. So marked was his progress that soon after the Queen’s accession he was appointed Surgeon in Ordinary to the Queen for Scotland. A little later a considerable fortune was left him by an uncle, and thenceforward he enjoyed an ease of circumstances which, while it rendered his actions independent, was not at all detrimental to his professional success. The good work which, in addition to operative successes, he was accomplishing may be judged by the titles of the papers contained in a selection from his published writings, published in 1848. These “Contributions to the Pathology and Practice of Surgery” included, among others, papers on senile gangrene, on the power of periosteum to form new bone, on ulcers of the leg, on amputation at the ankle-joint, on the treatment of popliteal aneurism, on excision of the ankle-joint, on the contractile or irritable stricture of the urethra, and on lithotomy. In all these he introduced new modes of treatment or operation or propounded new views, and many of his improvements are generally adopted. In 1847 Liston’s sudden death led to his chair at University College, London, being offered to Syme. After anxious weighing of the question he decided to accept the post. On his quitting Edinburgh he was entertained at dinner by more than a hundred members of the medical profession. Dr. (afterwards Sir Robert) Christison, who presided,