122 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Tol. vi. 



Dr. Keith Johnston.— The death of Alexander Keith John- 

 ston, LL.D., is an event which will be sincerely deplored by the 

 whole scientific world ; but although he was a man of varied 

 accomplishments, and a member of many learned and scientific 

 societies, his eminence as a geographer will be his chief title to 

 future remembrance. His devotion to geographical science was 

 profound, and for nearly half a century he earnestly strove to 

 promote and disseminate what the Germans happily term ' earth 

 knowledge.' Only seven weeks before his death he received from 

 the Royal Geographical Society the Patron's Gold Medal — a dis- 

 tinction which every true geographer must honourably covet, but 

 which few can ever hope to receive. '• His distinguished services 

 in the promotion of physical geography " were thus fitly recog- 

 nized, although the intense devotion which won him the honour 

 cut short his life soon after the reward was given. Dr. Johnston 

 was born at Kirkhill. near Edinburgh, in December, 1804, and 



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was educated at the Edinburgh High School. He was intended 

 for the medical profession, but after a time he gave up the course 

 of study which he was pursuing for this purpose, and learned the 

 art of engraving, which was subsequently turned to such good 

 account. But his early predilection for geographical studies 

 having increased with his years, and being animated with a strong 

 desire to accomplit«h something better than had hitherto been 

 attempted in his own country, he determined to make geography 

 his profession, and to devote his whole energies to the prosecution 

 of the absorbing pursuit on which he resolved to enter. Dr. 

 Johnston's first great work was his ' National Atlas,' in folio, 

 which was published, after five years' incessant labour, in 1843. 

 Most of the maps were projected and drawn by himself, and nearly 

 all the names written with his own hand. This work went 

 through many editions, and secured for the author the appoint- 

 ment of Geographer-Royal for Scotland. Humboldt having ex- 

 pressed a wish for an English Physical Atlas, Dr. Johnston 

 resolved to construct one on the scale required. He visited Ger. 

 many in 1842, for the purpose of collecting materials and making 

 other necessary arrangements, and on his return he laid his plans 

 before the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society. At that 

 period physical geography was scarcely taught in any of our 

 schools ; hence there was but little prospect of any early pecuniary 

 return for the immense labour which would have to be bestowed 

 on such a work as that in contemplation. But these were pre- 



