iv.] CHOICE OF A PROFESSION, 1832. 79 



immediately following year*, while it was still in its infancy, 

 the Association had to run the gauntlet of not a little 

 ridicule. It was a butt for the shafts of the ' British 

 Critic/ the chief organ of the Oxford movement then 

 beginning, which attacked it with no sparing satire. 

 And though no doubt the gala days of the savants, 

 enlivened by good dinners, railway excursions, and abun- 

 dant talk, may still provoke a smile, those who know 

 best the history of these meetings seem most assured 

 that they have really been fruitful of solid results. Of 

 these services to science one of the most tangible is the 

 establishment and maintenance by the Association of the 

 Observatory at Kew, for observing the phenomena of 

 meteorology and terrestrial magnetism. During all his 

 active life Forbes maintained the same interest in pro- 

 moting the work of the Association which he had shown 

 in its first foundation. 



The winter of 1832 was spent in Edinburgh, carrying 

 on the work of self-education in those scientific subjects 

 to which he had now entirely devoted himself. At- 

 tendance on classes and instruction from others were 

 now past. It was by private reading and by making 

 experiments for himself that the work of improvement 

 must henceforth l>e carried on. 



The following fragments from letters and journals 

 show how this winter was spent, and with what thoughts 

 it was engaged, till in spring he went again to London : 



To Sir Join, /{..hison, .Fr/,/-//, /,y/ 10, 1832. 



' It is my intention, should circumstances permit, on 

 Professor Leslie's resignation to offer myself as a candidate 



the Natural Philosophy chair. I am aware of the 

 Hiances of disappointment, and that, if once filled up, it 

 might not again be open during my life ; but, if circum- 

 stances should n ml. i my chance a good one, I mean to 

 J.ut inyn-lf in tin- way of it, without at all compromising 



happiness by a sanguine <1 -.-in- of success. I feel the 

 boldness of such a project, and am humbled ly < 



