FURTHER INTERCOURSE WITH CHARLES BLACK. 183 



shillings a week ; but to Charles the new chances of 

 increased insight into Botany were more than money, which 

 he has always had a tendency, perhaps, to under-estimate. 

 During the previous trying time of forced idleness in busi- 

 ness, but not in Botany, his good wife not only proved her- 

 self to be a thrifty and hard-working housekeeper, but a 

 willing and efficient assistant in her husband's botanical 

 studies helping him to select, spread, iron, press, dry, and 

 arrange the plants he gathered. 



It is unnecessary to tell the reader that Charles Black 

 took the fullest advantage of the rare opportunities he 

 enjoyed in the Gardens. He speedily showed himself so 

 capable and intelligent in the science, that he was employed 

 to gather the plants required for illustrating the prelections 

 of the Professor of Botany, with the additional advantages 

 of hearing the lectures given to the students, and accom- 

 panying them in their outdoor excursions over the interest- 

 ing botanical country that surrounds that most beautiful 

 and exquisitely situated of cities. 



In 1839, the year after Charles had settled there, John 

 Duncan paid him a long-anticipated visit, going there from 

 Dundee, where he had been harvesting. This was not the 

 first time, however, that he had stayed in the capital, for he 

 had been there before when he went through the Lothians 

 to the harvest. 



Far, far above all the lions of the town, interesting as 

 Edinburgh is in sights and memories to stir the heart of 

 every Scotchman, especially a patriot like John, was the 

 garden down in Inverleith Row, known as the Royal 

 Botanic. During all the time he was in town, John spent 

 the whole or chief part of the day in that enchanted land, in 



