428 CHEERFUL AND SOCIAL. CHAP, xxiv 



love of knowledge and science saved him. Besides, he 

 was childlike in his nature. He had the wonder of a 

 child ; he had the feelings of a child. He was always 

 merciful to children. He was blameless, simple, cheer- 

 ful, in all that he did. 



Though he was naturally a man of retiring manners, 

 he was by no means unsociable. He had a great deal 

 of human nature in him. To those who knew him 

 besv. he was cheerful and social. He had a vein of 

 inno^nt fun and satire about him ; and he often 

 turned his thoughts into rhyme. Sir George Sinclair 

 said of Mm, " His temper was naturally cheerful, and 

 even facetious. His comely and animated countenance 

 beamed TMth intelligence and good humour. His 

 estimable a^.-l faithful attendant, who resided with him 

 for the long period of thirty-three years, never heard a 

 hasty word drop from his lips, or saw his bright coun- 

 tenance clouded by an angry frown. The grateful tears 

 which she has so plenteously shed attest the kindly 

 tenor of his domestic life." 



Professor Shearer also adds " He was held in 

 honour for his scientific attainments by a growing num- 

 ber of the inhabitants, and by the small number of 

 young men whom the little town used to send to the 

 universities ; while, by the working men generally, the 

 purity of his life and the independence of his character 

 secured for him a respect, which, to my own knowledge, 

 was never once broken. His moral character was never 

 called in question." 



Charles Peach, who knew him so well, said of him, 



