220 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



The Rev. Mr. Smith, his pastor during that time, in writing 

 to the author, regrets that his now failing memory makes it 

 impossible for him to recall any details of his intercourse 

 with the man. " I retain, " he says, " a quite distinct 

 impression of his personal appearance. He was slow of 

 speech, somewhat reserved, and altogether a man not 

 likely to disclose his inner self to any but the most 

 intimate acquaintances, if even to such. I hope," he 

 continues, "you will ascribe the barrenness of my reply 

 to its true cause sheer inability, and not at all to any 

 reluctance to bear a part in paying tribute to a man of 

 singular modesty and untiring perseverance in the search 

 after truth." On ceasing connection with this congregation, 

 he received a certificate, dated May 2Qth and signed by 

 the minister, of being in full communion with the church. 

 This says that "he had long resided in that neighbour- 

 hood and borne an excellent character." 



John continued attached to the Free Church all his 

 days. After he settled down at Droughsburn, in 1852, 

 he used to attend the Free church at Cushnie. The 

 Rev. George Williams, now of the Free church at Thorn- 

 hill, near Stirling, who knew John from boyhood and 

 appreciated him as a man, speaking of his later religious 

 life, says, "He was a firm Free churchman to the last. 

 Although the Free church was in another parish, and a 

 mile farther from Droughsburn than the other, besides 

 being very far from popular as a place of worship, yet 

 he came to the little kirk on the moor, good day and bad. 

 He sat before us in church, and seemed to be always 

 remarkably reverent and attentive. His religion was of 

 the retiring Scotch type, that, like the violet, keeps itself 



