84 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



highest honour that could be conferred upon him. A 

 diploma of the Glasgow Natural History Society was 

 also granted him. It is a stigma on his townsmen that 

 they allowed his hiunhle but honest trade to stand 

 between him and their regard for him. It would have 

 been the greatest joy of his life to have been able to 

 leave his bench and devote his remaining years entirely 

 to natural history studies ; but in 1877, and indeed after- 

 wards, he was working away mending and making boots 

 with as much zeal as he had shown in his young life. 



His earnings have during all his life been but small ; 

 and in fact it may be said that all over Scotland wages 

 do not reach the rates which are usually paid south 

 of Tweed, for the reason I suppose that labour is more 

 plentiful and few outlets for it. Notwithstanding the 

 smallness of his earnings, he has always been able to 

 save a little out of them, and this has always been 

 spent in the pursuit of his natural history proclivities. 

 It is an old but very true saying that true happiness 

 lies not in the abundance, but in the fewness of a man's 

 wants, and so the Scotch are in many respects greatly 

 to be admired for their thrift, and the ease with which 

 they adapt themselves to living on the narrowest pos- 

 sible income. 



With all the educational privileges which the rising 

 generation of this country enjoy, there is one most 

 important principle which needs to be taught and 

 learned over and over again, and that is, the dignity 

 which attaches to all honest labour, no matter how low 

 in the social grade the species of toil may be. 



While Edward has naturally felt on many occasions 



