LIFE OF ALBANY HANCOCK, BY DR. EMBLETON. 



121 



Entomology, and Conchology. "What they gathered John Han- 

 cock studied, named, and arranged, and in a few years had 

 amassed a considerable collection, in which shells predominated. 



That he was in advance of his time as a devoted and successful 

 student of Nature this collection and his library demonstrate. 

 The very best standard works of the day were his, and for a 

 quiet provincial naturalist and tradesman, at the end of the last 

 and beginning of the present century, must have appeared ex- 

 travagantly expensive. The following formed only a small part 

 of his library : — Pliny's Natural History, The Philosophical 

 Transactions, Lister's Synopsis Conchyliorum, Linnaeus' Zoolo- 

 gical System, Donovan's British Insects and Shells, Bewick's 

 Quadrupeds and Birds. He also possessed one of the best micro- 

 scopes of that day, and made much use of it. His books, for 

 the most part, bear the marks of study; frequent annotations 

 attesting the work of years. It does not appear that he wrote 

 or published any original papers ; but, whilst he advanced year 

 by year in the collection and study of his favourite objects, he 

 instilled into the minds of his children a love of Natural His- 

 tory which to him had been "a continued feast of honied 

 sweets." The older members of his family still remember with 

 affectionate pleasure the manner in which he one day shewed 

 them, in a vessel of clear water, the graceful and beautiful move- 

 ments of a frog, and pointed out to them how excellently they 

 are adapted for progression in water. 



He died at the comparatively early age of forty-three, in Sep- 

 tember, 1812, leaving a widow and six children, the eldest being 

 eight years of age. Mrs. Hancock carefully treasured up the 

 collections and the books of her husband until her sons were old 

 enough to learn to value them. It was a day of surpassing in- 

 terest, one which had been eagerly looked forward to, and which 

 will never be forgotten by her children, when the cabinet and 

 bookcase were formally opened for their admiration and use. 



Albany, the third child and second son of John Hancock, was 

 born on Christmas Eve, 1806, in the family house at the Bridge 

 End. Losing the paternal example and guidance at the early 

 age of six, he was, with his brothers and sisters, brought up by 



