1838-30. MEETS DAVID LIVINGSTONE. 165 



After naming pupils in the Laboratory, he goes on to speak 

 of " an odd little mortal, a sort of apprentice, who does the dirty 

 work, cleans the bottles, etc., a poor friendless orphan, aged 

 fifteen, who never learned anything but his alphabet. He has 

 contrived to teach himself chemistry most thoroughly, and with 

 few or no encouragements has attained (no difficult thing, as I 

 know) to love it too. He is a very obliging, good-tempered, 

 happy little fellow ; has taken a fancy for me, and I for him. I 

 shall certainly help him every way I can, and he says he will 

 do anything for me. I shall immediately begin at his own little 

 cell some of my old things, as I shall not have, or wish to have, 

 at home any convenience for such things." 



Among the students in the Laboratory that session was Dr. 

 Livingstone, now distinguished for his labours and discoveries 

 in Africa. On the return of the celebrated traveller to this 

 country a few years ago, it was a pleasure to him and George to 

 renew their previous intercourse. A much prized copy of his 

 travels bears the autograph inscription, " To Professor G. Wilson, 

 with the kindest regards of his friend and class-mate David 

 Livingstone." Letters from the rivers Shire and Zambesi have 

 come to this country since George Wilson's death, in which Dr. 

 Livingstone speaks of specimens intended for the Industrial 

 Museum of Scotland. " I have collected," he says, " some little 

 things for you, but they are really so rude that I have doubts 

 whether I ought to send them. The mill for grinding corn, for 

 instance, is a great block of stone with a hollow worn in it of 

 about three inches in depth, and the mortar, exactly like the 

 Egyptian, is about the size of a man's body. A web in process 

 of weaving, is an uncouth affair, as indeed everything here is. 

 They have not improved a bit since Tubal Cain, and those old 

 fogies, drove a little into their heads. Such as they are, how- 

 ever, you shall see them some day." How much these and 

 other gifts mentioned in the letters would have delighted the 

 Director of the Industrial Museum, we can readily imagine. ' 



Some of Daniel's remembrances are amusing. He says 

 " At an early stage of George's London wanderings the unfami- 

 liar face of Charles Lamb's India House led him strangely 

 astray. His connexion with Professor Graham's Laboratory 



