108 
VETERINARY OBITUARY. 
and where he laid the foundation of his future literary acquire¬ 
ments. 
The horse trade not succeeding in London, Mr. Castley re¬ 
moved to Doncaster; and his family now being large, he was 
compelled to remove James from Richmond, and to take him home 
to assist him in his business ; and, young as James was, a most 
valuable assistant he proved himself to be. There, too, he ac¬ 
quired that horse-knowledge which was afterwards so useful to 
him in his profession, and gave that peculiar and invaluable cha¬ 
racter to his writings and his practice. 
Misfortune, however, seemed to pursue the Castleys: the 
father totally failed at Doncaster, and James and the rest of the 
family were thrown on the world. Some years had now passed 
since our friend had been the main prop of his father^s business; 
and, living among horses, the determination was gradually and 
irrevocably formed that he would become a veterinary surgeon. 
He had too strong a mind to be driven from his purpose, even 
by this calamity : his industry and his honourable conduct had 
obtained him friends; and with little else to depend upon but 
their recommendation, and the resources of his own mind, he 
came to London, and entered himself at the Veterinary College. 
Some of these friends had power, and the army was pointed 
out to him as the sphere in which his professional acquirements 
would probably best serve him. Castley acted on the hint:— 
as much of the morning as he could possibly spare was given to 
his veterinary studies; and in the evening he recalled and im¬ 
proved his early classical lore, and sedulously prepared himself 
for the situation which he would probably be called upon to fill. 
We had hoped to have gained fuller particulars of his college 
life, and we wrote to one from whom we thought we could 
have obtained them, and who we imagined would have been 
eager to have aided in weaving a wreath to encircle the bust of 
his departed friend. We are w^riting the obituary of the ge¬ 
nerous Castley, in whose last document he expressed a wish 
that no bad passions may find a resting-place among us; and 
therefore we will only say, that we did not receive a reply. 
He obtained his diploma, and we have again and again been 
told, with marked credit, on the 12th of May, 1807. On the 
18th of June in the same year, he was, at the recommendation 
of General Gwynne, appointed to the 22d regiment of caval¬ 
ry, then in India; but the Duke of Cumberland, who had 
observed his gentlemanly conduct and professional abili¬ 
ties, wishing to have him in his own regiment, the 15th, he 
exchanged, and continued attached to that corps until the 17th 
of AuD^ust, 1809, when he was removed to the 12th or Prince of 
O' ' 
