48 Sketch of the Life of the late Professso/- Edivard Forbes. 



he bore no ill vvill^ and he certainly did not return railing for 

 railing. He had a truly generous spirit, and was totally devoid 

 of narrow bigotry. He was desirous of promoting science, in- 

 dependent of all selfish views. He loved it for its own sake. 

 He had a noble temper, unaffected by good or ill fortune, and 

 he was universally and deservedly beloved. 



After his summer lectures he was busily engaged arranging 

 matters in London. He made excursions in diflFerent directions, 

 and his last dredging was carried on with myself, Dr. Mac- 

 Donald, and Prof. Wyville Thomson, at North Berwick, in 

 September last, previous to the meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion. He attended that meeting in Liverpool, and occupied 

 the chair in the Geological section. He made communications 

 both to the Zoological and Geological sections. Few will forget 

 the brilliant eulogium passed upon him by Prof. Sedgwick, at 

 the conclusion of the business of Section C. 



After the Association Meeting he spent some time in Dum- 

 friesshire, and was there exposed, during an excursion, to wet, 

 which was followed by shivering and febrile symptoms. These 

 were supposed by him to indicate a return of his iEgean fever. 

 When he came to Edinburgh he was by no means well, but much 

 was attributed by him to being overworked. In spite of this he 

 continued to labour, visited ^Mr. Murray of INIonckland, for the 

 purpose of observing geological phenomena, and vigorously set 

 about preparation for his winter work, as well as for the ' Edin- 

 burgh New Philosophical JournaP (previously Jamcson^s), of 

 which he and Dr.T. Anderson were now the editors. He also re- 

 vised his elaborate Paper on the ' Geological and Palseontological 

 Map of Britain^ for the new edition of Johnston's ' Physical Atlas. ^ 

 One of his latest productions was the article 'Siluria' in the last 

 Quarterly Review, which concludes with this passage, so charac- 

 teristic of his peace-making spirit : — 



" Men whose work, both of head and hand, is done mainly 

 under the broad sky, and along the craggy sides of mountains, 

 heedless of weather and toil, are not likely to use mincing forms 

 of speech or mollify their sentiments when engaged in discussions, 

 though all the time mildness and mercy are at the foundation 

 of their thoughts. Better and ti'uer men, whether in field or 

 council, there are not living than the two famous geologists, the 

 nature of whose differences we have endeavoured to expound. 

 They have worked long and well in co-operation, heart and hand 

 united ; and though the fortune of scientific war has led in the 

 end to the crossing of their pens, the names of Sedgwick and 

 Murchison will go down to posterity, side by side, and bracketed 

 together in the glorious list of benefactors of mankind through 

 the advancement of science.^' 



