218 Reviews — Stebbing's Life of David Robertson. 



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I. — The Naturalist of Cumbrae. A True Story: Being the 

 Life of David Eobertson. By the Eev. Thomas E. E. Stebbing, 

 M.A. 8vo. pp. 398. (Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co., 

 London, 1891.) 



ME. EOBEETSON is well known to geologists through his 

 researches on the Ostracoda and Foraminitera of the later 

 Tertiary or Quaternary deposits ; and in these studies he has been 

 associated with Dr. G. S. Brady and the Eev. H. W. Crosskey. 

 The living forms of these minute organisms have likewise engaged 

 much of his attention, and in the course of dredging investigations 

 over a wide area around the British Isles, he has added largely to 

 our knowledge of Marine Zoology and Botany. A very pleasant 

 story of his life is given by Mr. Stebbing in the volume before us, 

 and although Mr. Eobertson is still enjoying the fruits of a well- 

 spent life, 3'et being in his 85th year, his work is practically accom- 

 plished, and no apology is needed for the publication of the book. 



Born in a humble sphere of life, and losing his father when quite 

 an infant, David Eobertson was supported in early years by the 

 labours of his mother, and under these circumstances he received 

 but a year's regular schooling between the ages of 7 and 8. Then 

 he gained employment on a farm in Lanarkshire, and for some years, 

 under different masters, he was engaged chiefly in agricultural work, 

 obtaining an occasional change for short intervals in quarry-work 

 and in the weaving-trade. Thus was he occupied until he reached 

 the age of 24, without having made any position for himself, although 

 all along he was desirous of bettering his circumstances. He gained 

 what education he could by attending night-classes and by the loan 

 of books, whenever any were to be had ; and it is noteworthy that 

 the Travels of Mungo Park and the Natural History books of Buffon 

 and Goldsmith thus came into his hands. Two of Eobertson's old 

 playmates had now entered the College at Glasgow, as Divinity 

 students, and, remarkable as it seems, he was fired with the ambition 

 to become a Medical student. His friends naturally enough tried to 

 dissuade him ; but he obtained an interview with the Anatomical 

 Professor, and received the encouraging assurance that by industry 

 he might accomplish his desires. He resolved to enter the College, 

 and gaining employment with a dyer, whereby he was enabled to 

 support himself in a frugal way, he pursued his studies with zeal. 

 During the next few years (1831-34) he duly attended the College 

 courses, and gained the needful certificates. He subsequently learned 

 Dispensing at a shop in Glasgow, and obtained some practical 

 experience in Medicine and Surgery at the Infirmary. 



Now, however, at the age of 30, when ready to go up for 

 examination, circumstances entirely altered his career. He became 

 enamoured of the daughter of the dyer, a maiden who had charge of 

 a crockery-business that belonged to her father. There was the 

 opportunity for Eobertson to take charge of a similar business, and 

 it set him meditating on his prospects. He wisely came to the con- 



