66 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



Professor's may have awakened in young Forbes, there 

 was nothing to be done, but to keep working steadily on 

 the line of self-improvement he had planned. During the 

 winter, while carrying on his physical researches, making 

 barometrical measurements, and reducing his barometrical 

 observations made at Colin ton, he attended Dr. Chalmers* 

 Divinity Lectures and Dr. Reid's class of Practical Che- 

 mistry, With his experience of both of these classes he 

 expresses much satisfaction : 



' I am attending two classes at present, with both of 

 which I am delighted Dr. Chalmers' First Theology, and 

 Dr. Reid's, Dr. Hope's assistant, Practical Chemistry. 

 I am strongly of opinion that to hear such masterly 

 lectures by Chalmers upon Natural Theology and the 

 Evidences is a most fitting conclusion to a course of 

 liberal education, and singularly well calculated to pre- 

 vent injury from the sceptical insinuations of Laplace 

 and other modern philosophers, whose works are likely to 

 become oracles with those treading the path of exact 

 science. With Reid I am almost equally delighted, 

 though in a different way/ Besides this he was con- 

 tinuing his study of German, and taking lessons in 

 Elocution. 



The month of December 1830 saw the break-up of 

 the old family home at Colinton. To this he had 

 looked forward ever since his father's death. And 

 now, when it came, he had to go through that pain 

 which has been the experience of so many in every 

 generation. 



' We leave the well-beloved place, 

 Where first we gazed upon the sky ; 

 The roofs that heard our earliest cry 

 Will shelter one of stranger race.' 



What his feelings were Forbes thus records : 



' We are about to leave this delightful and endeared 



spot, endeared by its beauties and comfort, by long habit, 



by the associations of childhood and youth, and by the 



tenderest recollections of riper years. So deeply and 



