1 837-38. LABORATORY WORK. 43 



death with a melancholy recital of my being almost frozen 

 to an icicle, and nevertheless nearly tumbling off the coach 

 with sleep. I have fortunately forgotten these trivial and 

 temporary inconveniences, and the reminiscence of them 

 would be of no possible use to either of us, so I meddle not 

 with it any more. After the sobering influence had duly 

 improved me, I set off on Monday morning to the College, 

 and the first person I beheld was my most respected in- 

 structor, Dr. Christison. After shaking hands with the 

 worthy professor, and making inquiries after his health, I 

 whipped off my surtout, and on with my old coat, I say 

 my old coat, but it stands in the same relation to my back, 

 that Elijah's mantle did to Elisha, being the legacy of a 

 departed (to the Continent) friend. and I fell to a very 

 curious case of attempted poisoning, by putting vitriol in 

 tea, in the analysis of which I occupied the whole of the 

 first day. Since then I have been engaged up to the period 

 when I write, with two delicate processes for the purification 

 of sulphuric acid, one for the more accurate preparation of 

 tinctures of Barks, not to mention the analysis of laudanum, 

 and assistance in opening a box from Ceylon, containing 

 roots, fruits, leaves, &c. from that most interesting place, 

 sent by a lady for Dr. Christison's Museum. 



" Situated as I am just now, buried in the difficulties of 

 several of the physical sciences, changing from pharmacy 

 to chemistry, from chemistry to physiology, or taking a re- 

 freshment in the subtilties of logic, or the elegancies of 

 rhetoric, you must not expect my epistle to be very rich in 

 what may either amuse or instruct, the more so, that I have 

 lost my brother, who sharpened every faculty as 'iron 

 sharpeneth iron.' I have no one now to laugh and joke 

 with ; or, if a feeling of lonesomeness comes over me, and 

 I cast my eyes round for a familiar countenance, they fall 



