Transactions. 77 



monster adder, 2s 6d ; bones, 5s ; 4 horned rams heads, 4s 2d ; 

 for (fcc, &c., 5s 4d ; paper for herbarium, £2 ; total, £G 6s 6d. 



This statement is what I suppose my museum to have actually 

 cost me in money, viz. — _£6 6s 6d — but the most of it has been 

 collected free of expense. I have found great advantage from my 

 museum. It is an additional stimulus to study, and makes the 

 knowledge more perfect of the several objects it contains. The 

 objections to a museum are chiefly the time occupied in collecting* 

 and preparing the specimens, but much of the time occupied thus 

 would be lost if not so employed. My chemical apparatus has 

 cost me, including tlie substances, about £3 17s. My other 

 apparatus is not worth mentioning, consisting of — An injecting 

 syringe, 5s ; pocket compass, 2s ; dissecting case, 7s 6d ; total, 

 14s 6d. — Thus making in all for my library, £36 17s 4d ; museum, 

 £6 6s 6d; chemicals and apparatus, £4 lis 6d; total, £47 15s 4d. 

 This, of course, includes any articles I have at any time bought. 

 The summer and autumn are now past, and as circumstances 

 depending in the Court of Session prevent money being easily 

 had, besides the load of labour I must undertake in Edinburgh 

 were I to make this winter my last, I have resolved, partly by 

 the advice of friends, to go to Dumfries and attend the Dispensa- 

 tory Infirmary, and receive instruction in the compounding of 

 medicines theie. I may be right, as I think myself, or I may be 

 wrong, but it is scarcely a mere matter of choice — money is 

 necessary. The course of study T have to pursue this winter will 

 be of a practical nature, and may nature be my guide. I am 

 convinced it is the sure guide, provided Ave know how to follow 

 its guidance. 



These extracts I have copied with care from the two diaries. 

 They give us a good idea of the doctor's habits in his early years, 

 and show conclusively that he was a diligent student in natural 

 history and antiquities. His perseverance is well brought out 

 in them, and although they ai'e not so graphic as we might have 

 expected, still we see in them ample proof of the bent of his 

 mind. From small beginnings we see that his collection was 

 gradually increasing, and his chief desire is shown to have been 

 his own instruction. In after years his desire was to benefit his 

 fellow-men, and many of us can remember the pride he took in 

 instructing all, whetlier old or young, with whom he came in 

 contact. To confer such benefits during his life was most praise- 



