viii. MEMOIR OF THOMAS SAY. 



Of the name or character of the teachers, to whom the 

 education of Thomas Say was confided, I have not been in- 

 formed ; but there is reason to infer, from his deficiency in 

 elementary learning, on his arriving at manhood, and his 

 indifference to polite literature, that his teachers had been 

 either grossly negligent or incompetent. 



The father of Mr. Say, aware of the importance of occu- 

 pation, and not perceiving in his son an indication of a 

 predilection for any of the learned professions, took him 

 into his shop, the business of which was conducted for their 

 mutual benefit. After being initiated into the mysteries of 

 pharmacy, Mr. Say was established in the same useful call- 

 ing, in conjunction with another person, whose supposed 

 solidity of character, and business habits, it was presumed 

 would ensure success. 



But the expectations of the parent were not to be realized. 

 Thomas Say was not destined to be a man of business. The 

 thrift of trade, and the art of buying and selling, were either 

 disdained by him or neglected. He became imprudently 

 responsible for the pecuniary engagements of others ; and 

 being unable to withstand the reverses which ensued, he 

 soon found himself involved in ruin. 



At what period of Mr. Say's life he became enamoured of 

 the works of nature I cannot ascertain ; but I remember his 

 having told me that even when a school-boy his greatest 

 delight was in collecting butterflies and those Coleopterous 

 insects, whose variegated or splendid colours seldom fail to 

 arrest the attention of the most careless observer. 



A passion for collecting natural objects, if freely indulged, 

 generally leads to a desire of becoming acquainted with their 

 characters or properties. This desire once gratified, the 

 student finds himself in possession of knowledge as delight- 

 ful as it is varied and inexhaustible. But so fascinating is 

 the study of natural history, so completely does it predomi- 

 nate over other studies, that it seems by no means advisable 

 to recommend it to the early attention of youth, even as a 

 recreation, lest what was intended merely for pastime should 



