OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 197 



human and comparative, than John Goodsir. 

 The only regret will be that he has left so few records 

 of his discoveries and conclusions ; that in the keenness 

 of his pursuit after scientific truth, he left himself so 

 little time to gather up and embody in a lasting form 

 his numerous incidental felicities of investigation and 

 doctrine. But enough, and more than enough, will 

 always remain to prove the brightness of his intelligence, 

 the justness of his reasoning, and the philosophic com- 

 prehensiveness of his generalisations. * No 

 subject, however remotely connected with his favourite 

 one, but was perfectly known to him. When in 1854 

 he suddenly undertook the task of lecturing on natural 

 history for his deceased friend Edward Forbes, he was 

 found a master, at every point, in the science which 

 was only accessory to his own. 



"It is indeed impossible to estimate aright the loss 

 which scientific knowledge and academic education 

 sustain through such a death as his. Let us hope that 

 the generous contagion of his teaching and the lustre 

 of his example will arouse in some worthy disciple the 

 masculine enthusiasm, the noble candour, and the 

 chivalrous self-devotion which are buried in the too 

 early grave of John Goodsir." 



Professor Balfour, in the obituary notice of his de- 

 parted friend furnished to (he l>olanieal Society, said : 

 " By his death science has been deprived of an original 

 thinker, a mosl zealous and successful worker, and bis 

 pupils have lost a warm and devoted friend and teacher." 



The Scotsman and Evening Courant in Edinburgh, 

 and other Scottish newspapers, and notably (hose of 



