A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND LABOURS OF DR. ROBB. 3 



a hut on the Auberge, from which they only escaped with difficulty, 

 and where, to use his own words, "had they been much longer confined, 

 they would have had to eat each other, like the Kilkenny cats, because 

 there was nothing else to eat." He grows quite enthusiastic over their 

 reception at the University of Pavia, where, despite their clothing, 

 much the worse for travel, " the Professors of that time-honored seat 

 of learning vied with each other in attentions and affability, one giving 

 us objects of natural history, another presenting us with his works, 

 and a third giving us iced sherbets and chocolate." He would never, 

 he says, " think of his visit to Pavia but with feelings of the highest 

 gratification." He adds that not at Pavia only, but throughout the 

 journey, every moment was not only pleasurable, but of inestimable 

 value to him. He was constantly in an atmosphere of science, and as 

 the collections then made were undoubtedly those which subsequently 

 became the nucleus of the cabinet now in the Univei'sity in Frederic- 

 ton, the writer of this notice, to whom these facts have only recently 

 become known, can now the more readily understand, as he has always 

 been surprised at, their extent and value. 



The special circumstances which led to Dr. Robb's coming to New 

 Brunswick are not definitely known ; but as about the same time at 

 least one other Professor from Scotland came to the Provinces for 

 a similar purpose, it is probable that enquiries or advertisements had 

 been instituted there with a view to the obtaining of properly qualified 

 instructors. However this may have been, it is certain that Dr. Robb 

 had not long been here before his influence began to be felt in the 

 community. Accustomed to cultured society, fond of music, well read 

 in the literature of the day, and, though not practising medicine, 

 recoguized universally as one thoroughly competent to advise, and, in 

 the case of the poor, ever ready to give advice without compensation, 

 he could not fail to be an acquisition to any community, and especially 

 to such a one as then existed in Fredericton. Proofs of the estimation 

 in which he was held are not wanting. Old residents of the city, and 

 among all classes, speak of him even now in terms of the highest regard. 

 His opinion was sought upon many subjects outside the line of his 

 ordinary professional work. He was the first President and the most 

 active spirit in the Fredericton Athenreum, a society or club for the 

 promotion of literary and scientific research ; he was nominated, in 

 1849, and chosen a member of the first Council of his adopted city, 

 and again in 1850, in this latter case declining to serve that he might 

 be the more free to ^ive his attention to what he conceived to be a 



