142 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



stirred no little contempt in the mind of the young student 

 of the grand Linnsean system, pardonably proud, if not 

 secretly vain, of his accomplishments. But he quietly 

 replied that he did not think any one could do much to 

 Botany with such a book as " Culpepper." 



Roused by gratitude to his old master and proved good 

 offices, and put somewhat on his mettle regarding his own 

 acquirements, John smartly retorted that he could do 

 something to it ; and spreading out his fingers, crooked 

 with tying threads and digging roots, as if he were in the 

 act of laying hold of the plants, he affirmed that he could 

 go there and then, if he liked, and put his hands on them. 



This was only the simple fact, as we know ; for John's 

 knowledge of wild plants, though not scientific like Charles 

 Black's, was real and thoroughly practical, as far as it went. 

 He could name a plant when seen, find it when he wanted 

 it, and knew far more about their uses than his friend then 

 or ever did ; for Charles had an over scorn, as many good 

 men still have, for herbalism and its empirics. 



The gardener replied that he had no doubt he might, 

 but that he had a far better and surer way of finding them 

 out than by Culpepper's pictures by means of Botany. 

 " Ay ? " said John, in astonishment ; for the possibility was 

 new to him, and seemed at once to open up a bright vista of 

 future knowledge of the plants he had loved so long. He 

 at once eagerly inquired if Charles had a book to guide him 

 in the work. He said he had. What was its name ? 

 Charles mentioned " Galpin's British Botany," and asked if 

 he would like to be shown the way to use it, which he would 

 be happy to show. John answered decidedly in the affir- 

 mative, and, in his tone and throughout the conversation, 



