Vl 



tastes and pursuits, and probably also, in no small degree, his after 

 career. This arose from his being at this time much noticed by the 

 celebrated Dr. Edmund Cartwright, a friend of his mother's, from 

 whom he acquired a taste for mechanics, and especially in reference 

 to steam power and machinery, which he retained to the last. At 

 this time also he acquired a strong taste for chemical pursuits ; a cir- 

 cumstance also attributed by his family to his intercourse at this time 

 with Dr. Cartwright. It is obvious that, at this early age, the subject 

 of this notice must have shown no common degree of intelligence, to 

 have gained the notice of so distinguished a genius as the justly cele- 

 brated Cartwright. 



When about twelve years of age, he was removed from Tonbridge 

 to Ealing, in the county of Middlesex, under the care of Dr. Nicholas, 

 where he remained some years. He subsequently improved himself 

 in his classical studies under the Rev. Mr. Phipps, in Warwickshire. 



When released from the trammels of tutors, the love of chemistry, 

 for which he had so early shown a liking, became much strengthened, 

 and occupied much of his time and attention. To improve him in the 

 study of this pursuit, he was, when nearly twenty years of age, placed 

 as a pupil with Dr. Thomson, of Glasgow, then Professor of Chemistry 

 in that University, under whose roof he remained two years, following 

 his then favourite study, with the no small advantage afforded by the 

 full use of the Professor's laboratory. These advantages were not lost, 

 and his attainments in chemistry were very considerable. During this 

 period, he attended the medical classes ; and he did not finally leave 

 Glasgow until he had taken the degree of M.D. Amongst the courses of 

 lectures required for the medical degree, he of necessity attended that 

 of botany ; and this appears to have been his first introduction to the 

 science in which he subsequently made so great acquirements, and 

 did so much to advance. He was of too active a mind, and naturally 

 too fond of science, to attend these lectures without some^degree of 

 interest ; and, though previously uninterested in the science, he at 

 this time collected and preserved some specimens, though as yet he 

 evinced no decided partiality for botany. 



Though a graduate in medicine. Dr. Bromfield never practised the 



