92 DR. EDWARD SCHTJNCK. MEMOIR 



University of Glasgow^ a period of his life of which he 

 seldom spoke, simply perhaps because there was little to 

 say. Smith accepted a post as tutor to a family in the 

 Highlands, but was soon compelled to leave from ill-health. 

 He then proceeded to England, where he was employed 

 in a similar capacity in families whose peculiar religious 

 opinions afford some indication of the direction in which 

 his sympathies at that time tended. With the Rev. and 

 Hon. H. E. Bridgeman he spent two years, and with him 

 proceeded to Germany. So far Smithes tastes and pursuits 

 had been purely literary and theological. His education 

 had been entirely classical, being confined to acquiring a 

 knowledge of ancient languages, such as was in his day 

 thought sufficient for all the purposes of life, an acquaint- 

 ance with science, mathematics, or modern languages 

 being then considered comparatively of little consequence. 

 During his stay in Germany one of the tendencies of his 

 many-sided mind revealed itself. Hearing of Professor 

 Liebig, whose fame was then spreading through Germany, 

 his attention was directed towards science, this tendency 

 being perhaps encouraged by the example of his brother 

 Joseph, who had engaged in the study of chemistry under 

 Professor Penny, of Glasgow, and with whom he corre- 

 sponded. He accordingly proceeded to Giessen, where he 

 worked in Liebig^s laboratory during the years 1840-41, 

 and where, before leaving, he took the degree of Ph.D. 

 During his stay at Giessen he extended his knowledge of 

 the German language and literature, and also paid much 

 attention to German systems of philosophy, a subject that 

 at all times interested him greatly. 



It may perhaps be considered a matter for regret that 

 Dr. Smith's early training in science was not more exten- 

 sive, and that it continued for so short a time. On the 

 other hand it is possible that a more rigorous training in 



