254 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



upon him as " daft ; " others viewed him at the best as 

 " something silly." 



A farmer's son in the neighbourhood, who was then at 

 college and afterwards became a parish teacher, used to 

 accompany John in his search for plants, to his father's great 

 surprise. The practical farmer, judging only by outward 

 appearances, remonstrated with his son " for takkin' up wi' 

 yon cretur he's a feel ! " " Well," said the son, " if he's 

 a fool, he knows far more than folks that think themselves 

 wiser." The lad afterwards made considerable progress in 

 such folly, and added not a little to his happiness while he 

 pursued it. 



To a favoured few, John used to show his herbarium, 

 his " hibernia," as one of his good friends called it shall we 

 say by an Irishism ? This he kept with the greatest care, 

 preserved and scented, in his chest in "the philosopher." 

 As Dr. Mackay remarks, Duncan believed and acted on 

 the exoteric and esoteric in philosophy. It was not every 

 one that was deemed worthy to be initiated into scientific 

 mysteries. The candidate must show himself imbued with 

 the true spirit necessary for such sacred rites ; according to 

 the Horatian hatred of the "profanum vulgus" and the 

 Christian precept regarding "pearls before swine." But 

 when these essentials were possessed, however dimly, John 

 was ready to become their earnest high priest, to initiate 

 and instruct the aspirant. 



His chief candidate for such honours in Auchleven 

 was Dr. John Mackay himself. He was a. lad of about 

 thirteen years when he first made John's acquaintance, 

 and when about twenty, became a medical student at 

 Aberdeen University. A sincere attachment sprang up 



