MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 41 



in-law, Sir James Campbell. His funeral was at- 

 tended by many of his private friends, and by the 

 Royal College of Surgeons as a body, to mark their 

 great respect for his memory. 



For several years before his death. Dr. Barclay was 

 desirous that his Museum should be handed over to 

 some public body, in order that it might become per- 

 manently useful to the Medical School of Edinburgh. 

 Having at length resolved to present it to the Royal 

 College of Surgeons, the following letter, which will 

 be read with interest, was addressed by him to the 

 President of that body. 



DEAR SIR, 



Anxious to add, and yearly adding, to the number 

 of my anatomical preparations, notwithstanding that 

 my rooms are already too crowded, I have long 

 thought, to prevent my collection from being scatter- 

 ed after I can make use of it no more, to have it de- 

 posited with some learned and respectable Society 

 or body of men, who could estimate its value, and 

 render it useful to themselves and others. My first 

 thoughts were to present it to the Royal College of 

 Surgeons of Edinburgh, to which I am under so strong 

 obligations, and for which I feel and shall ever 

 feel a most sincere gratitude. Recollecting, however, 

 that morbid preparations, and not preparations chief- 

 ly anatomical, were what the College principally va- 

 lued, it occurred to me that it might hesitate to accept 

 my offer, and grudge the expense of building a hall 

 for its reception. But these doubts having since been 



