VISIT TO EUROPE: RESIDENCE IN EDINBURGH. 159 



sumption, with a gratuity to our faithful female servant.* 

 Every Saturday night we cancelled the bill, and Mrs. Her- 

 riott's gain was in the rent of her apartments. My asso- 

 ciates were, except myself, the only men from New England 

 in the University, and as we were congenial, we formed a 

 happy domestic society. There were attending the lectures 

 more than thirty Americans, chiefly from the South. My 

 companions became distinguished in after-life, Dr. Gor- 

 ham as a Professor in the Medical College of Cambridge 

 and Boston, and Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Codman, as an 

 eminent Congregational minister at Dorchester, Mass., and 

 as a very influential man in the religious concerns of the 

 country. Dr. Gorham died before attaining the meridian 

 of life. Dr. Codman enjoyed a long life of usefulness. 



My earliest introduction among men of science 



was to Dr. Thomas Hope, Professor of Chemistry, &c. in 

 the University of Edinburgh. I found him at his house in 

 the New Town, and received a very kind and courteous 

 welcome. Dr. Hope was a polished gentleman, but a little 

 stately and formal withal. After reading the letter of in- 

 troduction, he turned to me and said, " I perceive that I 

 am addressing a brother Professor." I bowed, a little 

 abashed ; a very young man, as I still was, (at the age of 26,) 

 thus to be recognized as the peer of a renowned veteran in 

 science, the able successor, as he had been the associate, of 

 the distinguished Dr. Black. He proceeded, " Now sir, 

 from long experience, I will give you one piece of advice, 

 that is, never to attempt to give a lecture until you are 

 entirely possessed of your subject, and never to venture on 

 an experiment of whose success you are doubtful." I bowed 

 respectfully my assent, adding at the same time that I was 

 happy to find that I had begun right, for I had hitherto 



* We each of us gave good Margaret a shilling on Saturday evening, in- 

 tending the gratuity both as a reward for her fidelity and as a comfortable 

 addition to her small wages; but we were sorry and displeased to learn late 

 in the season that she was compelled to pay this money over to her mistress, 

 while the poor girl was going barefoot in the winter. 



