36 



scientific or social. That his eulogy has fallen to the lot of one so 

 little qualified to do it justice, I sincerely regret ; but I lament it 

 the less when I reflect, that in other quarters it has found the able 

 advocacy of my friend Mr Galloway, and that both he and myself 

 have had the invaluable assistance of Mr William Ivory. 



Thomas Henderson, Professor of Practical Astronomy in our 

 University, and Asti'ouomer-Royal for Scotland, was born in Dun- 

 dee on the 28th of December 1798. His father died early in life, 

 leaving five children, of whom he was the youngest, to the care of 

 his widow. His eldest brother having been bred to the law, and 

 seeing prospects of success before him, destined his brother Thomas 

 for the same profession. Accordingly, having received an excellent 

 preUminary education at the grammar school of Dundee, he was 

 sent, at the age of thirteen, to the academy of that town, where he 

 remained two years under the able tuition of the present Professor 

 Duncan of St Andrews. Here he acquired the rudiments of mathe- 

 matics and natural philosophy, in which he made such progress as 

 to merit being styled by the Professor one of the best scholars he 

 ever had under his care. Even at this time his predilection for 

 astronomy had developed itself; but it cannot be supposed that his 

 acquirements sufficed to enable him to do more than manifest a 

 partiality towards that science. In 1813 he was placed with Mr 

 Small, writer, afterwards town-clerk of Dundee. He now bestowed 

 considerable attention to the decyphering of the manuscripts, and 

 particularly the ancient records of the burgh. He also laboured hard 

 in the acquirement of an accurate knowledge of history and chronology, 

 for which his remarkably I'etentive memory well qualified him. At 

 the age of twenty-one he repaired to Edinburgh, to pursue his legal 

 studies, and entered the office of Messrs J. and W. Murray, W.S. 

 While in their employment, an application was made to him to under- 

 take the arrangement and classification of the Records of the Burgh 

 of Dundee — a woi-k for which he was amply qualified, and which he 

 satisfactorily performed. His abilities and business habits recom- 

 mended him to the good offices of Mr Gibson-Craig, who became his 

 patron, and ever remained his steady friend. At his recommenda- 

 tion, he acted as clerk to the late Lord Eldin, both prior and subse- 

 quent to his elevation to the Bench. After his Lordship's resigna- 

 tion, Mr Henderson accepted the office of secretary to the Earl of 

 Lauderdale, in which capacity he visited London, where he made 

 the acquaintance of the principal astronomers of the metropolis, 

 from whom he received great kindness. In particular, Sir James 



