228 Notice of the late Mr, George Caleij, 



affect the future destiny. But the then irksome predicament, 

 and the determined spirit with which Caley pursued his fa- 

 vourite object, will be best described in his own artless narra- 

 tive, as addressed to his newly acquired friend : — 



" Dealers in horses," observes Caley, " have an opportunity 

 of seeing the natural and accidental deformities that these ani- 

 mals are subject to ; and their horses, through high keep and 

 little exercise, are liable to many diseases, for which there is 

 often call for the farrier. As every blacksmith pretended to 

 be a farrier, I, having a good opportunity of hearing them 

 discourse, saw that they did not understand the structure of a 

 horse, and might as well style themselves physicians and sur- 

 geons. There happened to be in the house an odd volume of 

 Gibson's Farrieiy, in which were some anatomical figures, 

 and receipts for the curing of diseases. This old book stimu- 

 lated me to search into the errors of farriers, or, at least, had 

 liked to have done so. In his prescriptions were a number of 

 herbs : I began to search after them ; but had no sooner done 

 that than I wanted to know more about plants. In the course 

 of time, I got some petty herbals ; but these not satisfying my 

 mind, only tended to perplex me, or rather excited me the 

 more. At length I got Johnson's Gerard, thinking, then, I 

 should go on boldly ; but, alas ! I was overwhelmed again. 

 Then I heard of your Botanical Arrangement. It was not 

 long before I got a copy of the second edition : I was now at 

 a greater loss than ever, for I really could not tell what to 

 make of them. However, I concluded that it would be non- 

 sense to let the books lie idle. Winter was then approaching, 

 and no plants to be seen : I resolved to learn the Introduction, 

 and soon gained a tolerable idea of it. I then wished for to 

 see some flowers ; but still a dreary winter was before me. I 

 was obliged to put up with the inconvenience, so that Ilearned 

 the Introduction over and over before the spring. When the 

 plants began to flower, I began to try my strength in the 

 science ; but knowing a good many plants before, I used to 

 cover the names, in order that I might not favour one charac- 

 ter more than another. Sometimes I was right, sometimes 

 wrong ; but, by this method, I gained a good knowledge of 

 investigation. By this, and the practice during winter, I have 

 thought oftentimes to equal those who have been under the 

 tuition of botanical lecturers. Now I began to find out bota- 

 nical companions (for, before, I had laboured by myself) ; but 

 thiey, following some manufacturing branch, my employment 

 would not permit me to spend the time that they did. Here- 

 upon I determined / nsoould, learn to "weave. I had no sooner 

 gained a fair idea of that business than there was a stagnation 



