MEMOIR OF DK. WALKER. 
19 
then the library-hall, and was believed to be the 
most considerable that was in the possession of any 
university in Europe. There it remained for many 
years, useless and neglected, some parts of it going 
to decay and others abstracted ; till, soon after the 
period that Mr. Walker had seen it, it was dislodged 
from the hall where it had been so long kept ; was 
thrown aside and farther and farther dilapidated, 
and at length almost completely demolished. 
In the year 1782, when the Doctor filled the 
natural history chair, he extracted out of its ruins 
and rubbish many pieces still valuable and useful, 
and placed them in the best order he could ; and 
adds, in the conclusion of the account from which 
the above is taken, “ These I hope may now re- 
main long in this place, and be considered as so 
many precious relics of the first naturalist, and one 
of the best and greatest men this country has pro- 
duced.”* 
Unfortunately the Doctor’s anticipations were 
not destined to be realized. He had collected, for 
the use of his class, a number of specimens, which 
he added to the pitiful remains of Balfour ; but he 
had not the generosity to bestow them on the 
public, or perhaps did not consider them worth a 
bequest; and at his death the museum, and the 
remains he seemed so desirous to preserve, under- 
went a second spoliation; and the miserable frag- 
ments left were of little benefit to his more eminent 
successor, who presented his own private collection 
* Memoirs of Sir Andrew Balfour, Tracts, 365. 
