2O Biographical Sketch 



voices might be talking around him, he 

 would at a moment turn to some absurd 

 fun, and as quickly again to the most 

 abstruse study." Although entering with 

 zest into many branches of natural science 

 he yet said, " botany before all." " I am 

 continuing the same round of occupation 

 classes during the day, and studying for 

 them at night, occasionally relieved by a 

 little botany, or BlackwoocTs Magazine, or 

 ' Charles o' Malley." 



Botany was no study, but a favourite 

 pastime. 



In 1841 he was appointed Assistant Secre- 

 tary to the Edinburgh Botanical Society, of 

 which he says: "You consider it a sort of 

 Pickwick Club but I assure you it will be a 

 considerable feather in my cap. I read a 

 paper on the night of my election on the 

 Botany of Shetland which was well received, 

 so that I could hardly get on sometimes for 

 the cheering." 



He was then sixteen years of age. 



The active, all-absorbing intellect could 

 often leave its chief loves to glance with 

 keen observation at politics, and some of his 

 remarks were clever and humorous. 



