120 



MEMOIR OF THE lATE MR. JOHN JUST, OF BOBY. 



shelter my favourite flowers ; but they are still as beautiful in 

 my eyes, — wherever seen, — wherever they may blow. Give 

 me a cot in the country, and quiet, and I desire no more. 

 The fields around will furnish me with delight, as 1 visit the 

 flowers which none knows or sees, but the industrious bees 

 and myself." 



In all his pursuits, he seemed ever to set before him the 

 injunction of the Hebrew Preacher — " Whatsoever thy hand 

 findeth to do, do it with thy might." Immense energy, 

 indomitable perseverance, unrelaxing industry, a keen and 

 omnivorous appetite for knowledge, and the active and eco- 

 nomic use of every moment of disposable time, — these furnish 

 the real solution to the problem of his extraordinary attain- 

 ments and labours, during the small surplusage of a life spent 

 in scholastic teaching. He was gifted with extraordinary 

 powers both of arranging and classifying the knowledge thus 

 acquired, and of retaining it in his memory ready for imme- 

 diate use. But he evidently regarded his work as only half 

 done, so long as it was limited to acquisition ; for here again 

 his practice was invariably in accordance with the apostolic 

 precept, — " To do good, and to communicate, forget not." 

 Hence his disinterested readiness to share the fruits of his 

 erudition and his scientific acquirements, with all who sought 

 his aid. His intellectual nature seemed delighted to gather 

 honey everywhere ; his moral nature to share the sweet 

 product with all who could derive nutrition from it. He 

 cared little for fame; much for opportunities of usefulness. 

 In the simplicity and manliness of his nature, he could be 

 equally the cheerful companion of youth, of manhood, or of 

 age ; and those who knew him most intimately, oft rejoiced in 

 his sportive sallies, as well as listened with a reverence, — the 

 more earnestly paid because never sought to be exacted, — to 

 the lessons of vi'isdom which were freely and spontaneously 

 uttered in his hours of friendly intercourse. No branch of 

 study in his hands was barren ; all acquisition was rapidly 



