282 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



McCombie, in the Free Press of March 3ist. He was 

 praised for his steady and enthusiastic devotion to self- 

 education and the acquisition of knowledge, and for his 

 discriminative taste and profound love of truth ; although, 

 as was truly remarked, he had passed the greater part of his 

 life " at one of the most harassing and worst remunerated 

 of country handicrafts." He rests in the churchyard of 

 Alford, at a spot not far from where his successor at 

 Droughsburn also now lies.* 



What a pity that these two uncommon weavers, thus 

 brought together in 1852, did not longer influence each 

 other for good ! They might have mutually broadened 

 and complemented their aspirations and studies, Watt 

 introducing Duncan to the refinements of literary dis- 

 crimination and taste, in which John's self-education was 

 greatly wanting ; and Duncan showing to Watt the strength 

 and beauty of science, which literary men are so apt to 

 neglect and despise. It was well that they enjoyed the 

 short communion they had together, and John fitly 

 succeeded one whose career was at once a warning and an 

 incitement. William Watt, the litterateur, was another of 

 those wielders of the shuttle cut off before he had barely 

 proved his power who have done honour to their craft : 

 along with Thorn, the poet of Inverurie, who had then 

 recently died in 1848 ; Wilson, the ornithologist ; Tannahill, 

 the lyrist ; Simpson, the mathematician ; and Dolland, the 

 inventor of the achromatic telescope. Shall we not now 

 add to the list the name of the man whom Watt invited to 

 his house, John Duncan? 



* A son of Mr. Watt's is the present sub-editor of the Aberdeen Free 

 Press ; the editor is the author of the inimitable "Johnny Gibb." 



