CHAPTER XIII. 



LITERATURE AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



A GREAT misfortune befell Edward in 1854 : his 

 friend the Rev. Mr. Smith died. He was a man 

 whose richly cultivated mind and warm heart en- 

 deared him to all with whom he came in contact. He 

 was almost the only man of culture in the neigh- 

 bourhood who appreciated the character of Edward. 

 He not only made himself his friend, but became his 

 helper. Edward was under the impression that 

 people looked down upon him and his work, because 

 he was a poor shoemaker. There were other persons 

 who knew of Edward's perseverance, self-denial, and 

 uncomplainingness, and also of his efforts to rise into 

 a higher life. But they did not help him as Mr. 

 Smith did. The true Christian gentleman treated 

 the poor man as his friend. He treated him as one 

 intelligent man treats another. The shoemaker from 

 Banff was always made welcome at the minister's 

 fireside at Monquhitter. 



Mr. Smith helped Edward with books. He lent 

 him such books as he had, from his own library ; and 

 he borrowed books from others, in order to satisfy 

 Edward's inquiries about objects in Natural History. 



