CHAP. xiv. HOW TO HELP HIM. 293 



from the books of gentlemen sometimes living at the 

 opposite ends of the island. 



There was, indeed, some talk of supplying Edward 

 with books, to enable him to pursue his scientific 

 researches. At a public dinner in Banff, the prin- 

 cipal speaker, after paying a high compliment to 

 Edward for his wonderful perseverance, and his 

 devotion to Natural Science, proceeded to describe 

 the great influence which books exercised in de- 

 veloping the powers of the human mind. After in- 

 forming his audience that they did not know the 

 value of the man they had got amongst them, he 

 said, "Assist and encourage him by all the means 

 in your power, but" here he paused, and all eyes 

 were turned upon him ; " but," he continued, " give 

 him no money (loud cheers). I know him, as you 

 all do, to be no drunkard, no idler, but a sober hard- 

 working man. But still, I again say, give him no 

 money. Give him BOOKS ; provide him with the 

 means of reading, and he is just the man to make 

 money for himself." The auditors thought that they 

 had done sufficient justice to Edward by cheering the 

 proposal of the orator ; but it was words mere 

 words ; for Edward neither got a book, nor even 

 the leaf of a book, from any of his local admirers. 



How different from this cold counsel, was the 

 enthusiasm of Edward when speaking of his favourite 

 science. In an article which appeared in the Natu- 

 ralist on the Bayed Echinodermata of Banffshire, after 



