used, and a little knife, I was enabled to make wheels and other things necessary for my purpose.

I then wrote a short account of these machines, and sketched out figures of them with a pen, imagining it to be the first treatise of the kind that ever was written; but found my mistake, when I afterwards shewed it to a gentleman, who told me that these things were known long before, and shewed me a printed book in which they were treated of: and I was much pleased when I found, that my account (so far as I had carried it) agreed with the principles of mechanics in the book he shewed me. And from that time my mind preserved a constant tendency to improve in that science.

But, as my father could not afford to maintain me while I was in pursuit of these matters only, and I was rather too young and weak for hard labour, he put me out to a neighbour to keep sheep, which I continued to do for some years; and in that time I used to study the stars in the night. In the day-time I amused myself by making models of mills, spinning-wheels, and such other things as I happened to see.

I then went to serve a considerable farmer in the neighbourhood, whose name was James Glashan. I found him very kind and indulgent; but he soon observed, that in the evenings, when my work was over, I went into a field with a blanket about me, lay down on my back, and stretched a thread with small beads upon it, at arms'

length, between my eye and the stars; sliding the beads upon it till they hid such and such stars from my eye, in order to take their apparent distances from one another; and then, laying a thread down on a paper, I marked the stars thereon by the beads, according to their respective positions, having a candle by me. My master at first laughed at me; but, when I explained my meaning to him, he encouraged me to go on and that I might make fair copies in the day-time of what I had done in the night, he often worked for me himself. I shall always have a respect for the memory of that man.

One day he happened to send me with a message to the Reverend Mr. John Gilchrist, minister at Keith, to whom I had been known from my childhood. I carried my star papers to shew them to him, and found him looking over a large parcel of maps, which I surveyed with great pleasure, as they were the first I had ever seen. He then told me that the earth is round like a ball, and explained the map of it to me. quested him to lend me that map, to take a copy of it in the evenings. He cheerfully consented to this, giving me at the same time a pair of compasses, a ruler, pens, ink, and paper; and dismissing me with an injunction not to neglect my master's business by copying the map, which I might keep as long as I pleased.

I re

For this pleasant employment, my master gave me more time than I could reasonably expect;

and often took the threshing-flail out of my hands, and worked himself, while I sat by him in the barn, busy with my compasses, ruler, and pen.

When I had finished the copy, I asked leave to carry home the map: he told me I was at liberty to do so, and might stay two hours to converse with the minister.-In my way thither, I happened to pass by the school at which I had been before, and saw a genteel-looking man (whose name I afterwards learned was Cantley) painting a sun-dial on the wall. I stopped awhile to observe him, and the school-master came out, and asked me what parcel it was that I had under my arm. 1 I shewed him the map, and the copy I had made of it, wherewith he appeared to be very well pleased, and asked me whether I should not like to learn of Mr. Cantley to make sun-dials. Mr. Cantley looked at the copy of the map, and commended it much; telling the school-master (Mr. John Skinner) that it was a pity I did not meet with notice and encouragement. I had a good deal of conversation with him, and found him to be quite affable and communicative; which made me think I should be extremely happy if I could be further aquainted with him.

I then proceeded with the map to the minister, and shewed him the copy of it.-While we were conversing together, a neighbouring gentleman, Thomas Grant, Esq. of Achoynaney, happened to come in; and the minister immediately introduced me to him, shewing him what I had done. He ex

pressed great satisfaction, asked me some questions about the construction of maps, and told me that if I would go and live at his house, he would order his butler, Alexander Cantley, to give me a great deal of instruction. Finding that this Cantley was the man whom I had seen painting the sun-dial, and of whom I had already conceived a very high opinion, I told 'Squire Grant, that I should rejoice to be at his house as soon as the time was expired for which I was engaged with my present master.-He very politely offered to put one in my place; but this I declined.

When the term of my servitude was out, I left my good master, and went to the gentleman's house, where I quickly found myself with a most humane good family. Mr. Cantley the butler soon became my friend, and continued so till his death. He was the most extraordinary man that ever I was acquainted with, or perhaps ever shall see; for he was a complete master of arithmetic, a good mathematician, a master of music on every known instrument except the harp, understood Latin, French, and Greek, let blood extremely well, and could even prescribe as a physician upon any urgent occasion. He was what is generally called self-taught; but, I think, he might with much greater propriety have been termed GOD ALMIGHTY'S scholar.

He immediately began to teach me decimal arithmetic, and algebra; for I had already learned vulgar arithmetic, at my leisure hours, from books.

He then proceeded to teach me the elements of geometry; but to my inexpressible grief, just as I was beginning that branch of science, he left Mr. Grant, and went to the late earl of Fife's, at several miles distance. The good family I was then with could not prevail with me to stay after he was gone; so I left them, and went to my father's.

He had made me a present of Gordon's Geographical Grammar, which, at that time, was to me a great treasure. There is no figure of a globe in it, although it contains a tolerable description of the globes, and their use. From this description I made a globe in three weeks at my father's, having turned the ball thereof out of a piece of wood; which ball I covered with paper, and delineated a map of the world upon it; made the meridian ring and horizon of wood; covered them with paper, and graduated them; and was happy to find, that, by my globe (which was the first I ever saw) I could solve the problems.

But this was not likely to afford me bread, and I could not think of staying with my father, who I knew full well could not maintain me in that way, as it could be of no service to him; and he had without my assistance, hands sufficient for all his work.

I then went to a miller, thinking it would be a very easy business to attend the mill, and that I should have a great deal of leisure time to study decimal arithmetic and geometry. But my master being too fond of tipling at an ale