24 Biographical Sketch 



become an eminent naturalist, and so con- 

 fident that therein lay his strength, that they 

 agreed to his wish that he should devote 

 himself to the study of Natural Science, 

 giving up the medical education he had 

 begun. 



His scientific friends seem to have warmly 

 seconded this, and given Tom every assistance 

 and counsel. 



He went to Aberdeen, and under the 

 paternal surveillance of Professor MacGillivray 

 he made rapid progress as an all-round 

 naturalist. 



In January 1845 ne was chosen Professor 

 of Botany in the Andersonian University of 

 Glasgow. 



Exultantly he writes to his mother and 

 says, " Tell baby, for her peculiar satisfaction, 

 that she has the distinguished honour of being 

 sister to a learned Professor." 



One of the Glasgow papers commenting on 

 the appointment, gave the following descrip- 

 tion of his personality at this time : 



" He was slightly,butsymmetrically formed, 

 his height scarcely attaining to middle size. 

 Yet the shapely head, with its close brown 

 curls, the high intellectual brow, and the 



