692 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



rest of the family to Edinburgh. During the academic year 1816-'17 

 William attended classes in logic, chemistry, and mathematics, at the 

 University of Edinburgh. He continued here the diligence which he 

 had manifested at school, and carried off the first prize in mathemat- 

 ics, " with the good-will of all the competitors." 



Preferring to enter mercantile business rather than to continue 

 longer at the university, he went to London in 1817, being then nine- 

 teen years old, to take a position in the counting-house of his uncle. 

 But he did not give up literary pursuits, for, in a letter written to his 

 brother in Montreal a few months later, he thus describes his avoca- 

 tions : " Part of the day I read Italian and French, write versions in 

 those languages, and generally in the evening translate ' Gil Bias ' 

 with Alexander Gillespie, Jr., who, by-the-by, is the greatest companion 

 I have here. Now and then I have a look at Homer and Cicero, and 

 mathematics is not neglected. Indeed, I carry on a correspondence 

 with one of my fellow-collegians, Mr. Cockayne, who resides in the 

 north of England. He sends me propositions, which, after having 

 solved, I return to him with the demonstrations, annexing at the same 

 time propositions to exercise his knowledge of geometry. This, in 

 my opinion, is a rational and useful means of keeping up an acquaint- 

 ance. Sometimes the flute amuses me, and I hope you have not given 

 up playing on that instrument." In his younger days, as his biogra- 

 pher tells us, Logan was an excellent correspondent. "But, not sat- 

 isfied with writing often himself, he frequently urges his brothers or 

 sisters to do likewise, and sometimes, by way of encouragement, 

 praises the letters which he receives. ... In this way, and by regularly 

 causing the letters which he himself received to circulate among other 

 members of the family, he aided in keeping alive that union and in- 

 terest in family affairs which so often cease when the children grow 

 up and become scattered." 



Young Logan had abundant opportunities to gratify his musical 

 tastes while in London, and his years there seem to have passed very 

 pleasantly. He lived in his uncle's family, until the latter gave up 

 his London residence, but he seems to have welcomed this change 

 as giving him a chance to devote more time to business and to lead a 

 quieter life. In 1826 he made a short visit to Paris, and wrote to his 

 brother James some very lively impressions of the faculty for display 

 of the French people. 



A few years later, Logan's uncle became interested in mining and 

 smelting operations in Wales, and young Logan was sent down to 

 keep the accounts of the establishment. " But you may be assured," 

 he writes, " I shall spare no pains to make myself master of every 

 branch of the business ; and, as it is of a scientific nature, I am pretty 

 sure I shall like it." The study of the minerals with which h*is busi- 

 ness was directly concerned copper and coal awakened in him an 

 interest in mineralogy and geology. He studied tkt question of how 



