150 ENGLISH MEN OF SCIENCE. [CHAP. 



spent my whole life in searching for them. 

 While a schoolboy I taught myself botany, 



chemistry, &c under great difficulties. I 



had no teacher except a kind apothecary, whose 

 knowledge was limited." (a) 



(3) " From a youth, I always preferred the 

 man of marked ability to the man of action 

 alone. Thrown for so many years of my pro- 

 fessional life among men chiefly of -the latter 

 class, and my sympathies being more drawn 

 towards those in the decided minority, my tastes 

 were, I conceive, not acquired but innate. In 

 the early days of my professional career I gained 

 the friendship of . . . . , of the highest pro- 

 fessional standing, whose acquired general 

 knowledge and love of science and observation 

 were far beyond those of the ordinary .... of 

 his time. I was both his young friend and 

 favourite assistant for three years. He imbued 

 me with his respect for science, and formed my 



character for earnestness and accuracy To 



some extent, my tastes were determined by 

 events after manhood ; because in ... extend- 



