CHAPTER II. SOME COLLEGE MEMORIES (2)

In the second chapter of “Memories and Portraits,” the narrator reflects on his time at the University of Edinburgh with a mix of nostalgia and critique, noting the changes and continuities between his generation and the current one. He mentions how time swiftly changes the landscape of college life, highlighting his own experience of feeling aged when seeing his name listed among many successors in a university club’s record, symbolizing the rapid passing of generations within the academic environment.

The narrator expresses a melancholic sentiment for the university’s perceived decline since his departure, suggesting that the institution’s glory days coincided with his tenure and perhaps that of his father before him. He observes that while certain elements remain good, overall, the university has deteriorated, though in his view, it began to do so subtly and gradually.

Central to his reflection is the memory of a specific, unnamed student, whose journey from a struggling, disheartened youth to someone who eventually finds his way, embodies the personal growth and transformation possible within the university setting. This character’s development is used to illuminate the broader theme of youth’s fleeting troubles and their eventual resolution with time.

Additionally, the chapter pays homage to several professors, contrasting them with their predecessors and marking the passage of time through their personalities and teachings. Figures like Tait, Lindsay, and Kelland are fondly remembered for their contributions to the narrator’s education, both formal and through the life lessons they imparted unintentionally. The narrator also touches on his own shortcomings and the path not taken – particularly, his lack of engagement with Greek studies under Professor Blackie due to his deliberate truancy, which he somewhat humorously rationalizes as a form of learning in itself.

The closing passages are more introspective, questioning the price of rigorous academic pursuit against the backdrop of personal health and well-being. The narrative warns against the dangers of excessive study, illustrated through the anecdote of a fellow student driven to a state of terror upon realizing his own vulnerability after an intense period of preparation for exams.

Through these reflections, the chapter stitches together a tapestry of college memories that explore the complexities of student life, the enduring impact of mentorship, and the inevitable changes that come with the passage of time.