CHAP. Ix. ] Invites his Mill-mates. 157 
called upon him at the exhibition. The paragraph in the 
handbill was as follows: ‘“‘The idea of having a collection 
of the works of nature was first formed by him (the ex- 
hibitor) in very early life, and while traversing the coun- 
try in the vicinity of Aberdeen, but more particularly when 
wandering among the delightful haughs of Grandholm, 
where he went to work when little more than nine years of 
age. Should this come under the notice of any of those 
who were mill-mates with Thomas Edward, they perchance 
may remember the boy they all wondered at so much be- 
cause he would not, join in their youthful sports, but rather 
chose to wander alone through the woods or by the banks 
of the Don, in quest of those objects, the pursuit of which in 
after-years cost him so much labor, time, and expense.” 
As nearly twenty years had passed: since ‘Edward had 
worked at the spinning-mills, he failed to recognize his ear- 
ly companions when they called, until they mentioned some 
circumstance or conversation which brought them to his rec- 
ollection. Some walked round the collection before they 
made themselves known to him, while others did so as they 
entered. But one and all agreed that though they might 
have imagined that Edward had done something toward 
-making the collection, they could not believe that he had 
done it all-by himself while working at his trade. They 
were working-men themselves, and knew what they had 
to contend with, in the form of want of time, want of 
means, and difficulties of all sorts. These considerations 
only tended to heighten their sense of astonishment the 
more. 
Some of Edward’s other acquaintances also called, and 
they, like the others, declared that it was perfectly impossi- 
ble for any working-man to have made such a collection by 
himself without any extraneous aid. One of his old shop- 
mates called frequently, and Edward endeavored to convince 
him that the thing was quite feasible; but he insisted that 
he must have got assistance or help in some way or another. 
