the late Professor Jameson. 5 
He was at the usual period sent to the grammar-school, then 
taught by Mr Wilson, where he made such progress as 
boys make who have no particular love for letters. Whilst 
at school he early shewed a strong desire of becoming ac- 
quainted with the history of natural objects; and at this 
period he had commenced stuffing birds shot for him by a 
young man, who thought himself well paid by receiving 
powder and shot for his labour; at the same time he was 
himself collecting such animals and plants as could be found 
on the beach at Leith and the neighbourhood. Mr Jameson 
entered the humanity class in the year 1788; and whilst at- 
tending this class, he walked in the procession at the laying 
of the foundation-stone of the New College Buildings, in one of 
the class-rooms of which he was destined to be a distinguished 
Lecturer. 
The development of man’s ruling propensity may in general 
be discovered by a careful observation of the companions 
and pastimes of the young. The ruling propensity may 
be dormant, for there may be nothing peculiarly fitted to 
call it into action; but when such objects as are adapted to 
that predisposition are brought to bear on the mind, the pre- 
disposition begins to develop itself. This was the case 
with the subject of this memoir. During the early period of 
Professor Jameson’s life, De Foe’s “ Robinson Crusoe” was a 
leading book with boys; with our young naturalist it became 
a second life. The wonders of Crusoe’s island, its birds and 
beasts, its inhabitants, and the situation of poor Friday, in- 
creased his desire to know more of nature. “ Cook’s Voyage,” 
so interesting and instructiye, and at this period universally 
_ read, increased his desire to study nature in all her grandeur 
and variety,—to investigate the great laws by which varied ob- 
_ jects of interest are scattered over the surface of the globe, 
and ultimately to promote human happiness. The strange and 
romantic adventures of Peter Wilkins were not without their 
influence in urging the turning-point of Professor Jameson’s 
life. Jameson used to boast that the “ History of the Three 
Hundred Animals” made him a Professor of Natural History. 
This kind of reading gave him a strong desire to examine 
not only his native, but foreign lands. Whilst under the 
