530 Royal Astronomical Society : Anniversary, 1844. 



occupation Dr. Robison paid him a visit, and proposed to him to give 

 private lessons in geometry to one of his pupils. This proposal 

 opened up a new prospect to him, and admitted the first gleam of 

 hope of his being able to emancipate himself from the drudgery of 

 manual labour. He now also began to acquire a knowledge of Latin, 

 and in this, as in the study of mathematics, his manner of turn- 

 ing time and opportunity to account may afford encouragement to 

 those who are in pursuit of knowledge under difficulties. A part of 

 his duty in the printing-office was to collect the successive sheets of 

 a work from a series of heaps arranged round a circuit of tables. 

 While engaged in this monotonous occupation, he fixed up upon 

 the wall a Latin vocabulary, from which he committed to memory 

 a certain number of words every time he passed it in making his 

 round. In his study of Latin, however, he received assistance 

 from a student, to whom, in return, he gave instruction in mathe- 

 matics. 



After he had been engaged a few months in the printing-office, 

 he entered into the employment of one of the principal booksellers 

 of Edinburgh in the capacity of shopman. This change was advan- 

 tageous in several respects. His circumstances were now consider- 

 ably improved, and he found leisure, not only to pursue his favour- 

 ite studies, but to increase his stock of knowledge by general read- 

 ing, and even to give private lessons in mathematics in the evenings. 

 While in this situation he contrived to get a few lessons in French, 

 and commenced his acquaintance with the works of the continental 

 mathematicians. 



In 1793, while in his twenty- fifth year, he took the resolution to 

 give up his employment, and support himself by teaching mathema- 

 tics privately. This plan probably succeeded to the full extent of 

 his moderate expectations. He now attended a course of lectures 

 by Professor Playfair ; and although, as the course was intended for 

 an audience far behind him in mathematical acquirements, he had 

 little to learn, the example of Playfair's manner — dignified, eloquent, 

 and impressive, in a degree rarely equalled — was of great use to him 

 in after-life. At the same time he also attended a course of che- 

 mistry, and by assiduous diligence endeavoured to repair, to the ut- 

 most of his power, the deficiencies of his early education. 



In 1794, Mr. Wallace, on the recommendation of Professor Play- 

 fair, was appointed to the office of assistant teacher of mathematics 

 in the academy at Perth. In respect of emolument the appointment 

 was of no great value, but it gave him a settlement in life, with rea- 

 sonable leisure to prosecute his mathematical studies, of which he 

 did not fail to take advantage. In 1796 he presented his first me- 

 moir to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, entitled, " Some Geome- 

 trical Porisms, with Examples of their Application to the Solution 

 of Problems." This paper, which contained some new and curious 

 porismatic propositions, afforded ample proof of original and invent- 

 ive powers ; while his manner of conducting the investigation 

 showed how accurately he had imbibed the spirit and methods of the 

 ancient geometrical analysis. About the same time, on the request 



