CHAPTER XXXI. 



DISCIPLES AND SYMPATHISERS AT DROUGHSBURN. 



THOUGH thus self-contained and self-absorbed, over- 

 modest and retiring, and much misunderstood by his 

 neighbours in general, Duncan's influence over others was 

 by no means small. Of this we have already seen proofs 

 in the progress of our story, and it will be interesting to 

 adduce others in his later years. 



He was never more truly delighted than when com- 

 municating knowledge, and, with the spirit of the true 

 lover of science, he was constantly trying to gain proselytes. 

 But, in the prevalent state of education and opinion in 

 regard to such pursuits, his success in making converts to 

 Botany was not very great ; and even with a more public- 

 spirited, less retiring man, could scarcely have been greater 

 as things then were. To John at times, notwithstanding 

 his large hopefulness and knowledge of his own endeavours, 

 his life in this respect sometimes seemed to have been spent 

 in vain, though it was very far from being so. At my first 

 visit to him, when, in talking on this subject, he deprecated 

 such influence over others, Mrs. Allanach kindly broke out 

 in his behalf: " Noo, John, I maun tell on ye ; ye hae had 

 scholars, and a wheen o' them. There was my ain son-in- 

 law, and that clever loon doon the road there, noo a grand 



