1851 THE PROFESSORSHIP AT TORONTO 113 



Botanic Gardens, and finding you were too wise to come, 

 came here, grieving your absence, and had an aesthetic 

 "Bier." 



He obtained a remarkably strong set of testimonials 

 from all the leading anatomists and physiologists in 

 the kingdom, as well as one from Milne-Edwards in 

 Paris. 



I have put together (he writes) twelve or fourteen 

 testimonials from the first men. I will have no other. 



His newly-obtained F.E.S. was a recommendation 

 in itself. So that he writes : 



There are, I learn, several other candidates, but no 

 one I fear at all, if they only have fair play. There is 

 no one of the others who can command anything like the 

 scientific influence which is being exercised for me, 

 whatever private influence they may have. 



What makes all the big-wigs so marvellously zealous 

 on my behalf I know not. I have sought none of them 

 and nattered none of them, that I can say with a good 

 conscience, and I think you know me well enough to 

 believe it. I feel very grateful to them ; and if it ever 

 happens that I am able to help a young man on (when I 

 am a big-wig myself!) I shall remember it. 



And again, September 23, 1851 : 



When I have once sent away my testimonials and 

 done all that is to be done, I shall banish the subject 

 from my mind and make myself quite easy as to results 

 For the present I confess to being somewhat anxious. 



Nevertheless, after many postponements, a near 

 relative of an influential Canadian politician was at 

 length appointed late in 1853. By an amusing 



VOL. I I 



