60 MEMORIAL TRIBUTE 



this class-room there sat for many years the late Dr. 

 Alex. Cruickshank, storing his mind with the secrets of 

 the Nature he loved so well, the joy of his life. It is to 

 these studies that the University and the city owe the 

 munificent gift of our Botanic Gardens, presented by 

 Miss Cruickshank in memory of her brother. I could 

 give the names of many schoolmasters, such as James 

 Anderson of Foveran, men who carried their love of 

 natural science into their several parishes, studying the 

 works of Nature themselves, and inculcating her lessons 

 on their pupils. From such influences, carried further 

 by MacGillivray's successors in the University, a wide- 

 spread love of Nature has grown among working men, 

 who in their various societies dignify their labours by 

 such studies — a solace from hard manual toil. 



There are still some persons left in Aberdeen who 

 can remember the personal appearance of the man. 

 Under medium height, spare in form, shy and reserved 

 in manner, he walked swiftly along the street, generally 

 alone, with his head inclined downwards and his eyes 

 bent towards the ground, wrapt in his own thoughts. 

 Celt of the Celts, he was singularly courteous and 

 polite, with fine quiet dignity, but when offended he 

 could use sharp words which left their sting. He 

 made few friends, but once made he clung to them 

 with tenacity. His life was in his work and in his 

 home. There can be no finer proof of the beauty of 

 his life than that every member of his large family 

 laboured with him and for him, both sons and daughters, 

 attracted to the work by love and sympathy. John, 



