r 2 2 HER OES OF INVENTION AND DISCO VER Y. 



woman of energy and tact, discovering this state of affairs, 

 turned her attention to the details of the business, which 

 afterwards continued fairly prosperous. 



Mary Simpson was one of the best of mothers, always dis- 

 playing much force of character, along with a quiet, loving 

 disposition. She died when James was nine years of age, but 

 the memory of her prayers remained with him through life. 

 The cares of the household then fell upon his only sister Mary. 

 He was sent to school when four years of age. His school 

 tasks were easy work for him, and his love of knowledge and 

 of a good bone of fact were insatiable ; so much so, that on 

 overhearing some one say that "the Bible and Shakespeare 

 are the best books in the world," he remarked, "The Bible 

 and Shakespeare, and Oliver & Boyd's Almanac ! At least I 

 know the Almanac would have been the greatest prize for me 

 when a boy." At home he was gentle and obliging, and made 

 himself useful in the shop, and in delivering bread around the 

 neighbourhood. He never felt the straits of pinching poverty 

 which so nearly threatened his elder brothers, the business 

 having prospered from the date of his birth. During one of 

 his earliest visits to Edinburgh he made his way direct to Grey- 

 friars Churchyard, where he copied an inscription on one of 

 the tombstones. 



With an early longing for student life he entered Edinburgh 

 University at the age of fourteen, attending the junior Greek and 

 Humanity classes in session 1825-26, under Professors Dunbar 

 and Pillans. In 1827-28 he enrolled as a student of medicine, 

 and during the same session attended the classes of Natural 

 Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, and the third Greek class. 

 When entering on his second session he was fortunate enough 

 to secure a bursary of the value of ^10, tenable for three 



