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Uniformity. Many of the members of these congregations were plain simple men of deep religious fervour, who did not foster the spirit of contention which is sometimes found among modern Nonconformists, and he often spoke with pleasure of his intercourse with the hard-headed Borderers who found more dignity and reverence in the simpler forms of worship than in elaborate ritual.

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CHAPTER IV.

1831, J. C. BRUCE TAKEN INTO PARTNERSHIP BY HIS FATHER-OCT. 1834, DEATH OF HIS FATHER-OUTLINE OF SYSTEM OF EDUCATION PURSUED LETTER FROM MR ROBERT STEPHENSON PRACTICE OF MENTAL ARITHMETIC IN THE SCHOOL-1845, EDITS TENTH EDITION OF BRUCE'S GEOGRAPHY-1848, PUBLISHES HAND-BOOK OF ENGLISH HISTORYLECTURE ON BEST MEANS OF PROMOTING THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT OF YOUTH-RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOL-FRIDAY AFTERNOON BIBLE-CLASS-PRINTED OUTLINES OF THE LECTURES ON THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY-SPEECH BY SIR WEMYSS REID-ANNUAL PUBLIC EXAMINATION-1836, PRESENTATION BY SCHOLARS OF SILVER CUP AND SALVER-1843, SCHOOLROOM REBUILT-1858, OXFORD LOCAL EXAMINATION-JUBILEE DINNER-RETIREMENT OF DR BRUCE FROM THE SCHOOL-SILVER SALVER GIVEN BY HIS MOTHER.

AT the close of the year 1831, John Collingwood Bruce was taken by his father into partnership. The school, which had been established in 1802 by John and Edward Bruce, had since 1806, when Edward Bruce died, been carried on under the sole management of John Bruce with the help of assistant tutors. John Collingwood had occasionally given assistance to his father, but it was only during the times of the recess between the college sessions that he was able to render such help.

By the unremitting and strenuous exertions of John Bruce, the Percy Street School had become an important and flourishing institution, but he, being now in his fifty-sixth year, was beginning to feel the labour of his profession telling on his strength, and his son brought most efficient assistance to him in the man

TAKEN INTO PARTNERSHIP.

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agement of the school. His son had acquired, as we have seen, by a long course of training, not only a rich store of knowledge, but had been brought into contact with men of varied pursuits and character, and so had gained an experience and knowledge of the world invaluable to a teacher of youth. He possessed in a very remarkable degree the faculty of imparting information in a manner at once attractive and engaging. From the time of his joining the school he threw his whole energy into the work, and greatly added to its reputation and usefulness. The following is a copy of the circular which was issued to the public on the occasion of his entering into partnership with his father :

"Mr Bruce, gratefully impressed with a sense of the favours conferred upon him during the time which he has had the honour of teaching in Newcastle, takes this opportunity of expressing his great obligation to his friends, and has much satisfaction in informing them and the public that he has now united with himself, in the superintendence of his academy, his son, John Collingwood Bruce, A.M., by whose assistance, and that of other able instructors, the business of the academy will continue to be conducted. Mr Bruce, anxious for the improvement of his pupils, hopes by the plan which he has now adopted to be able to add to the branches of education usually taught in classical and mathematical schools, instruction in logic, natural and moral philosophy, and chemistry."

While the business prospects of the school were in the highest degree satisfactory, and John Bruce was