JOHN HUTTON BALFOUR 293 



1845 after an illness of some duration during which (Sir) Joseph 

 Dalton Hooker acted as locum tenens. 



Another new method in his teaching was that of encouraging 

 students to write essays upon subjects either practical or 

 theoretical. In this he stimulated investigation. Students in 

 these days had more time than they have now to devote to such 

 things, and of their efforts some were sound pieces of research 

 the Botanical Geography of Hewitt C. Watson first took form in 

 one of these essays. 



John Hutton Balfour\ who succeeded Graham, was born in 

 Edinburgh 15th September, 1808. The eldest son of Andrew 

 Balfour, surgeon in the Army, who afterwards settled in Edin- 

 burgh as printer and publisher, in which business his enterprise 

 was adequate to the venture of the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia 

 under the editorship of (Sir) David Brewster. Andrew Balfour 

 was a grim old presbyterian of the stuff covenanters were made, 

 and in the strict home environment which he created young 

 Balfour early came into touch with theological dogma. The echo 

 of these early impressions remained with him throughout life. 



Educated at the High School of Edinburgh where he laid 

 the foundation of sound classical scholarship always his 

 unobtrusive distinction Balfour entered the curriculum for 

 the Arts degree at the University. Before completing this he 

 migrated to St Andrews in order to be under the influence of 

 Professor Thomas Chalmers the famous Divine, afterwards 

 leader in the disruption that founded the Free Church of Scot- 

 land in conformity with the desire of his father that he should 

 become a minister in the Church of Scotland. But Divinity did 

 not claim him and he returned to Edinburgh to begin the study 

 of Medicine a decision in face of family pressure which is 

 tribute to the strength of purpose which characterised him and 

 found expression frequently in after life. 



At the beginning of this renewed Edinburgh curriculum 

 Balfour attended the Botany course of Professor Graham in 

 1825, and obtained his first scientific instruction in Botany 

 a subject for which he had always shown fondness. Robert 

 Dickson, afterwards Lecturer on Botany at St George's Hospital, 



^ His portrait forms the frontispiece of this book. 



