CHAP. ix. PROFESSIONAL VISITORS. 159 



could not see how it was possible for an ugly cater- 

 pillar to become transformed into a beautiful butterfly. 

 Edward felt very much for the ignorance of men of 

 his own class : it was simply deplorable. 



Dr. Macgillivray, Professor of Natural History in 

 Marischal College, Aberdeen, called upon Edward, 

 and was much pleased with his collection of Banff- 

 shire fauna. The professor told him that the inha- 

 bitants of Aberdeen were not yet prepared for an 

 exhibition of this kind. There was not even a public 

 museum in the city ; no collection of natural objects ; 

 no free library ; nothing for the enlightenment of the 

 higher and nobler faculties of man ! To this cause 

 Edward, in a great measure, attributed the failure of 

 his exhibition. Some of the professors who after- 

 wards called to see the collection, told Edward that 

 " the people of Aberdeen were not yet prepared for 

 such an exhibition, especially as it had been the work 

 of a poor man. He had come several centuries too 

 soon." 



Several of the persons who examined the exhibi- 

 tion, did not believe that it had been the work of 

 Edward at all. Among his better-class visitors was 

 a gentleman who frequently came in as he passed, 

 and carefully examined the specimens. He sometimes 

 gave Edward half-a-crown, and would not take any 

 change back. The gentleman was an inveterate and 

 persistent interrogator. His questions were usually 

 of a personal character. But Edward had by this 



