THE FIRST BOOK. 33 



his long- cherished design. He was now anxious to get a 

 lectureship, which might enable him to devote himself 

 unreservedly to the pursuit of Physiology. The Bristol 

 meeting of the recently established British Association for 

 the Advancement of Science, in 1836, had brought him into 

 connection with the leading men of various departments. 

 Dr. Forbes proved a most kind and faithful promoter of 

 his advance. In the spring of 1838 he tells his brother 

 Russell that he has been to London to ascertain the proba- 

 bility of his getting an appointment as teacher of his 

 favourite science, and that Sir James Clarke, Principal 

 Physician to the Queen, is interesting himself much in his 

 prospects. And he adds, " By the advice of my friends, I 

 " am now working vigorously at my book on ' General and 

 "Comparative Physiology,' for publication in the autumn." 

 To this task he now girded himself up in earnest. It 

 was a bold attempt for so young a man, for it aimed at 

 surveying the entire field of what is now termed Biology. 

 He described it himself as an introduction to the study of 

 human physiology, and a guide to the philosophical pursuit 

 of natural history. Its enormous range — for it began with 

 a description of the whole animated world — made it im- 

 possible for him to have himself verified the statements 

 which he was obliged to take on trust. Its originality lay 

 rather in the effort which it made to view the science of 

 life as a unity, and lay down some simple and universal 

 laws. Looking back upon it from the more advanced 

 position of a quarter of a century later, the author said of 

 it, that the novelty of its plan and the general merits of its 

 execution obtained for it a more favourable reception than 

 might have been justified by a severe scrutiny ; his know- 

 ledge had been drawn rather from books than from nature ; 

 he had systematized the facts collected by others, rather 

 than added to the store by independent research. Yet ever 



