MEMOIR OF THE LATE MB. JOHN JUST, OF BURT. 



95 



this faculty is related by a gentleman, once a pupil in the 

 Kirkby Lonsdale Grammar School, and a firm and kind friend 

 of Mr. Just during nearly a quarter of a century. It was the 

 practice at this school, at the beginning of every half-year, 

 for the pupils to repeat the Latin grammar, in such portions 

 daily as they were able, till they had gone through the whole 

 book. On one of these occasions young Just commenced, 

 and continued his unflagging way so long that (after having 

 gone through more than one-half of the grammar) he utterly 

 tired out the patience of the master, who at length, suspecting 

 that the boy meant to repeat the whole grammar at once, 

 stopped hiui, quietly remarking that he had said enough for 

 one lesson, and that he might repeat the remainder on the 



morrow 



When only about twenty years of age, Mr. Just became 

 classical assistant to Mr. Dobson, and remained two or three 

 years in that capacity, having during this time large oppor- 

 tunities of pursuing his own favourite studies. Whilst at 

 this school, both as scholar and teacher, he manifested a strong 

 attachment to natural history and botany ; aud even as a boy, 

 his indefatigable perseverance in everything he undertook, 

 was a striking trait in his character. His readiness to help 

 other lads with their lessons, and his serious demeanour and 

 manly deportment, made him universally beloved and respected 

 among his schoolmates. He was also pre-eminently dis- 

 tinguished by a love of truth and a very strong religious 

 feeling ; and these qualities were manifested in every action, 

 so as to raise him greatly above the level of his youthful com- 

 panions. In connection with his pursuit of natural history, 

 he used to relate some amusing anecdotes (unconsciously 

 illustrating his own kindliness of nature) of his obtaining birds 

 and small animals, when a boy, and keeping them some time, 

 with a view of testing the effects produced on wild creatures, 

 by domestication and kind treatment. While assistant to 

 Mr. Dobson, he used to rise in the summer months at four 



