CHAP. xvni. MONEY CONSIDERATIONS. 383 



door to every path, whether it be of Science or of 

 Nature, and every one has it in his power to choose 

 the road for himself." 



Notwithstanding Edward's power of will and in- 

 domitable perseverance, and the amount of useful 

 scientific work which he has accomplished, it was easy 

 to see that he was rather disappointed at the results 

 of his labours. It is true that his zoological labours 

 did not enable him to earn money : indeed, he 

 had not worked for money considerations. Natural 

 science is always unremunerative, especially to those 

 who have to work for their daily bread.* Nor had his 

 self-imposed labours lifted him above his position in 

 any way. He began life as a shoemaker, and he con- 

 tinued a shoemaker to the end. Many called him a 

 fool because he gave himself up to "beasts." He 

 himself says, " I have been a fool to Nature all my 

 life." 



" If it had not been for the industry of my child- 

 ren," he says, " my wife and myself would have been 

 in starvation these many years back, as all that I 

 have been making could scarcely have kept myself 

 in bread. So that is something. But if ever I com- 

 plained about my life, I never meant it to be in that 

 way. Had the object of my life been money instead 



* "We are sorry to observe that the late Mr. Jonathan Couch, 

 for whom Edward made so many of his researches at Banff, died in 

 reduced circumstances, rendering it necessary for his daughters to 

 go out in search of employment 



