MANCHESTER AND LONDON 249 



a skeleton, of the Bronze Age, was found in a coffin fashioned 

 out of the trunk of an oak-tree, gave occasion to Williamson's 

 one contribution to archaeology. His memoir was reprinted in 

 the Literary Gazette for October 18, 1834 (still before he was 18). 

 This was through Dr Buckland's influence; in a letter to William- 

 son he said, "I am happy to have been instrumental in bringing 

 before the public a name to which I look forward as likely to 

 figure in the annals of British Science." A second and third 

 edition of this paper were called for. 



In September 1835 Williamson was appointed curator of the 

 Museum of the Manchester Natural History Society, and so 

 began his long connection with the great northern town, lasting 

 down to 1892. In those days the interest in the vigorous young 

 science of geology was extraordinarily keen, and there was 

 great activity, especially among the naturalists of the North, 

 many of whom were working men. Williamson, about 1838, 

 gave a course of lectures on geology at various northern towns, 

 and thus raised funds for his removal to London, to continue 

 his medical studies. It is interesting to find that Williamson, 

 while at Manchester, helped to nurse John Dalton in his last 

 illness. 



While curator at Manchester, Williamson saw the rise of 

 Binney as a geologist. 



His remarks on the local study of botany at that time are 

 interesting. "The botanical interests of the district were chiefly 

 in the hands of the operative community. The hills between 

 Lancashire and Yorkshire swarmed with botanical and flori- 

 cultural societies, who met on Sundays, the only day when it 

 was possible to do so 1 ." Some of these men must have had 

 an excellent education, as shown by the good English they 

 wrote, as for example Richard Buxton, a poor working man, 

 author of a standard Botanical Guide. The society to which 

 Buxton belonged had, in 1849, existed for nearly a century. 

 It may be doubted whether an equal enthusiasm for science still 

 prevails in that or in any part of England. 



In September 1840 Williamson went to London to complete 

 his medical training, and entered University College, making 



1 Reminiscences , p. 78. 



