S/Ji JAMES y. SIAfFSON. /41 



said he, *is my study. Here I read at night' I only said, 

 * What a privilege it is to be able to read in this way. I never 

 could;' and then 'Good-night.' I heard his night-bell almost 

 every night." 



In the spring of 1850 he had a serious attack of illness 

 resulting from an abscess in the arm-pit. At the close of the 

 college session of that year he made a short Continental tour, 

 which he enjoyed very much, seeing the principal universities 

 in France, Germany, Holland, and Belgium, and everywhere 

 receiving great kindness and attention. On his return, in spite 

 of the overwhelming number of his engagements and professional 

 duties, he found time to make some inquiries regarding leprosy 

 and leper-houses, and continue the study of astronomy, in which 

 latter study he was greatly assisted by the late Sir William 

 Keith Murray, of Ochtertyre. His professional income had 

 now increased so largely, that he frequently returned the fees 

 to many of his poorer patients. Sums of £'^o, ^^25, ;^io, 

 and ;£c^ were, in 1850 and 185 1, returned to those who had 

 sent them. To a clergyman he once wrote : " Many kindest 

 thanks for the fee which you have sent me. But you must be 

 so good as allow me to return it, as {with many others of my 

 professional brethren) I do not think it right to take any pro- 

 fessional remuneration from clergymen or their families. Give 

 me your prayers, and I will value them far more." With the 

 accumulated increase in his income, he embarked in various 

 speculations. In April, 1853, Mr. Robert Chambers inserted 

 a paper in C/iambers's /ournaHxom. his own pen, on the subject 

 of " Oil- Anointing." This subject had been suggested to him 

 by Simpson's researches. When on a professional visit to 

 Galashiels, Roxburghshire, Dr. Macdougall remarked to him 

 the healthy state and robust appearance of many of the opera- 



