22 
MEMOIR OF CAMPER. 
as Sir Hans Sloane, Catesby, Hill, and Collinson, 
his interest in natural history was greatly augment- 
ed. The various museums of the English capital, 
also, became the objects of his careful review, and 
he thus became intimate with Watson, Knight, and 
Stephens. He studied botany under Elliot, and as- 
tronomy under Short, and was instructed in the use 
of the microscope by Baker, who was then applying 
this instrument witli so much success to objects of 
natural history. Camper seemed determined to al- 
low no opportunity of amassing knowledge to escape 
him, and although his views embraced a wide range 
of subjects, he was never satisfied with a superficial 
glance, nor trusted to the reports of others, when 
there was a possibility of examining with his own 
eyes. Accordingly, he visited the principal manu- 
factories, and was indefatigable in collecting instruc- 
tions from artists of eminence in every department. 
His eager curiosity even extended to the details of 
naval architecture, to the study of which he devoted 
a considerable portion of time. He was in the ha- 
bit, during all his travels, of making notes of every 
thing he saw and learned ; and he made sketches on 
the spot of every object of which a delineation could 
be useful. 
After remaining about a year in London, and vi- 
siting the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, 
he proceeded to Paris, where he came in contact 
with Winslow and Astruc, Petit, Ledran and Ques- 
nay, medical men of first-rate reputation, and with 
