iv.] CHOICE OF A PROFESSION, 1833. 89 



This chapter, which attempts to sketch the growth of 

 Forbes's mind and character from childhood to manhood, 

 may perhaps be fitly closed by the following auto- 

 biographic letter, written at a later date than we have 

 yet arrived at. One thing only must be noted. While 

 touching on some peculiar circumstances of his youth, 

 already alluded to, he gives an estimate of his own cha- 

 racter, which, if it have a side of truth, seems certainly 

 drawn with too severe a hand : 



' SUNDAY, November 3rd, 1839. 



' I was born 20th April, 1809, whilst my mother 

 was in very delicate health. She went to Devon- 

 shire, taking me with her, and died there the fol- 

 lowing year. My poor father, as I have reason to 

 know indirectly, was almost distracted by his loss : a 

 man of the most virtuous, amiable, high-minded, and 

 singularly unobtrusive disposition, he was evidently 

 formed for the complete enjoyment of domestic happi- 

 ness. He had, it appears, so concentrated his affections 

 on my mother, that with her loss he was a changed man : 

 he lived as a Christian ought to do, striving to fulfil his 

 duty to his family and to mankind by the most active 

 but generally secret benevolence ; but from the time of 

 my mother's death I suppose no one shared his entire 

 confidence. To his family the most affectionate, con- 

 . and uniformly indulgent parent, he yet spent 

 but little time in their society, though he lived always 

 at home, never, I believe for years together even dining 

 out, until the increasing age of my sisters induced him 

 to mix in society for their sake, and live part of the year 

 in Edinburgh. Till th' n we ;J\vays lived at Colinton in 

 absolute seclusion. On good terms with everybody, he 

 had no intimacy with any person in the neighbourhood, 

 1 consequently we hud none. In all the time I knew 

 him he never mentioned my mother's name in my hear- 

 ing but once or twice at the most. I, the youngest and 

 ite of the family, was IMS peculiar favourite, 

 ami never being sent to school or anywhere rise, was 



