THE EARLY TEACHING OF ECONOMICS IN THE UNITED STATES 285 
Pryme was mistaken in stating that the lectures began only in 
1806. We are told by Stewart’s editor, Mr. Hamilton, that a 
separate course of lectures on Political Economy was delivered 
in the winter of 1800 and that these lectures constituted “the 
only prelections of the kind at that time accessible to the youth 
of Britain.”' Lord Cockburn states that “the opening of these 
classes made a great sensation. The mere term Political Economy 
made most people start.” 
Students flocked to Stewart's course from all parts of Great 
Britain and he counted among his auditors many who were later 
to achieve great distinction. Among them were Lord Lansdowne, 
Lord Semple, Lord Cochrane, Lord Calthorpe, Lord Cuninghame, 
Lord Brougham, the Earl of Lauderdale, Viscount Palmerstone, 
Sir Henry Jardine, Jeffrey Drummond, Sidney Smith and Francis 
Horner. As Sir James Mackintoch tells us: “without derogating 
from his writings it may be said that his disciples were among his 
best works.” His lectures continued up to the year 1809-10. 
In the meantime, the first titular chair was created in 1805 
when Malthus became professor of History and Political 
Economy at the East India College at Haileybury near London 
in 1805, although formal instruction in the subject did not begin 
until 1807. 
When the Political Economy Club was founded in 1821, George 
de la Pryme of Cambridge and Dr. Whately of Oxford were 
elected under the rule which was framed to admit as honorary 
members teachers of Political Economy at the leading universi- 
ties.” So far as can be learned, however, there were no formal 
professorships of Political Economy at that time. Professor 
Pigou, who has been kind enough to inform us that the chair of 
Political Economy was not founded at Cambridge until 1863, 
adds: “There was something corresponding to it which was held 
by Pryme in 1820.” And we know that at Oxford the Drummond 
chair of Political Economy was created in 1825 when Senior was 
elected to fill the position. Mr. Henry Higgs writes to us: “I 
* The Collected Works of Dugald Stewart, ed. by Hamilton, vol. x, 
1858, xlviii. 
* Political Economy Club, Minutes and Proceedings, Roll of Members 
and Questions Discussed, Vol. VI (1921). The names are given on p. 368. 
The editor, Mr. Henry Higgs, states on page xvii: “The professors of 
Political Economy at Oxford and Cambridge were ez officio honorary 
members at the outset.”