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



by a tendency as strong as that which leads the duck to 

 swim or the hawk to fly. But between these unreasoning 

 instincts and the rational bias of man there is one great 

 difference. The lower creature has the instinct, and the 

 opportunity to act on it is never wanting. But men, espe- 

 cially in youth, before they know either themselves or the 

 world, feel many an impulse which they cannot explain ' to 

 themselves, much less to others/ many a natural tendency 

 for which there seems no outlet, against which all outward 

 circumstances, and these are one large part of the guid- 

 ings of Providence seem to reclaim. In such cases it is 

 often very hard for a young man to know whether he 

 should cling to his natural tendency at all hazards, or yield 

 to the heavy necessities which seem warning him to aban- 

 don it. It is many a time a great and sore perplexity. The 

 inward bias and the outward surroundings are, we believe, 

 both from God which of the two is a man to follow ? 

 No definite rules can be laid down. But something may 

 be learnt from the case of young Forbes, and of others 

 like him, by whom the difficulty has been deeply felt 

 and fairly met. Before he could make science the prin- 

 cipal and legitimate object of his life, untrammelled by 

 jarring occupations and conscientious scruples, there are 

 proofs enough to show that he had many an hour of 

 anxious self-scrutiny. He pondered well all . the cir- 

 cumstances, he sought the advice of those most entitled 

 to counsel him, he took his motives and aims honestly 

 into the light of conscience and of God, and he sought 

 guidance from above. In due time the way was opened, 

 and the result we are now to see. 



His period of exclusive self-education and preparation for 

 the active duties of life was to be closed by a tour on the 

 Continent, which he had long planned, and in which it 

 was his intention to visit those places, in which either by 

 converse with scientific men, or by observing striking 

 aspects of nature, he might enrich his scientific resources. 

 It probably was his intention to prolong this tour for 

 some years, and not to return till he had laid up a store 

 of facts and observations, which he might give to the 



