134 The late Professor Edward Forbes. 



of his life and labours, drawn from our own knowledge and re- 

 collections, aided by reference to some friendly and affection- 

 ate reminiscences which have already appeared in several of 

 the literary and other Journals.* 



Professor Edward Forbes, so recently, and with such uni- 

 versal satisfaction, appointed to the chair of Natural History 

 in our universit}'', died atWardie, near Edinburgh, on the even- 

 ing of Saturday, the 18th of November 1854, in the fortieth year 

 of his age, leaving a widow, and a son and daughter still in in- 

 fancy, to mourn and suffer from his loss. The certainty of his 

 appointment had been long foreseen, and was looked forward 

 to as an event likely to give a fresh impulse among us to the 

 study of natural science in every department. He had re- 

 ceived his scientific education here, — had here formed several 

 of his strongest and most enduring friendships ; and his early 

 celebrity, and continuing increase of fame, had been nowhere 

 observed with more pride and pleasure, than among those who 

 had started with him in the race of life. When he returned 

 to Edinburgh, it was to the " old familiar faces," changed, no 

 doubt, from youth to manhood, but rejoicing all the more to re- 

 ceive again in social and scientific union one between whom and 

 them not even the shadow of a passing cloud had been ever inter- 

 posed. It is indeed worthy of record, that among his earliest 

 and most endeared associates, he was welcomed back by such 



* The death of Professor Edward Forbes has been feelingly and faithfully- 

 recorded at considerable length, and apparently from intimate personal ac- 

 quaintance, in the Athenoeum, Literary Gazette, Spectator, and Gardener's 

 Chronicle ; as well as in the Witness, and other Edinburgh newspapers. We 

 are happy, however, to announce that a much more ample and satisfying me- 

 moir of his life and writings has been undertaken, with the concurrence of 

 his literary executor, Mr Austen, by a kindred spirit, and early friend, Dr 

 George Wilson, F.R.S.E., already so well known as a biographer, from his 

 live9 of Cavendish and Dr John Keid. We had hoped to present this memoir 

 in the April number of our Journal, and have therefore restricted ourselves, 

 in the meantime, to what we fear our readers may regard as by no means a 

 satisfactory exhibition and estimate of the Professor's personal and scientific 

 attainments. But, in deference to the wishes of those by whose feelings it is a 

 pleasure, no less than a dufy to be guided, it has been decided that the ex- 

 tended biographical memoir shall form a separate volume, probably introduc- 

 tory to a collected series of Professor Edward Forbes' works. 



