The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-26
4 STRIKING Example Of selcmrlr.

| diplomat only seems TO be.
a striking Example OF seicUeIp.
SAMUEL SMILES so well known as a writer
OF stirring biographies. has produced worthy
! counterpart to the Life OF Scotch Naturalist"
| In his new book. entitled Robert Dick Baker Of
Thuso. also Geoiooia aud Botdnist tHarpersl.
! The remarkable man whose story Is hero told.
managed In the hard and narrow calling Of
village baker to enrich our botanical and
geological knowledge of Scotland with precious
contributions: yet ho died twelve years ago
without any recognition ~ his services to the
cause Of science and without any Of that sub
stantial aid which. as In the caso OF Thomas
Edward. may relieve the later years Of mod
est and useful life from priyaiion and anxiety.
Whom we ponder the depressing circum-
stances under which Robert Dick wrought his
admirable achievements. We cannot but doubt
! the aphorism which afllrms the leisure assured
| 10y wealth to Oe tho condition OF n nations cul-
ture. aud which makes u high measure Of stu
/ diOus research incompatible with laborous
vocation. 1t has been rather in the interests OF
eXactng work than in the drowsy calm OF
learned easo that signal additions have been
made to the stores OF human knowledge: and it
may be- IA WIS lately suggested by an English
clergyman in the Contemporary Repit,c. that In
depth Of literary or scientific attainment is diff
fused through the upper ranks Of given soci-
ETY.. II has come not because Of. but In spite Of.
their idleness. At all events. the humble. busy.
but fruitful careers Of such self prompted and
self-educated students as Robert Dick and
Thomas Edward must remain awkward STUN
bling blocks to n favorte assumption OF afliuont
diletani and pampcrcd amateurs
The subject OF the present memoir was first
brought 10 the notice OF his biographer by the
late Sir Roderick Mlrchson. In a speech de-
lvered at Leeds in 1853. at a meeting OF the
British Association. the latter gave an account
OF his interview with AN extraordinary person
whom his fellow townsmen regarded as petty
haf-cracked tradesman, but whom the bqronct
was proud to call his distinguished friend. In
| pursuing his researches in the Highlands. and
pushing beyond Sutherland into Caithness. the
remote northeastern angle Of Scotland. Sir Rod
erick met in tho town Of Thurso man named
Robert Dick. a baker by trade When the
stranger called TO sec him. Mr.. Dick unfolded u
map OF Cathness. and pointed out its numerous
imperfections. BY means of some mois,ened
flour which he spread out on his baking
board he delineated not only the geographical
features Of the country. but many curious
and novel geological phenomena. which he
desired to impress upon his VISITORS at
!
man who is earning his daily bread by hs hard
work. who is obliged to read and study 10y night.
and yet who is able 10 instruct tho Director
General OF the Geographical Society,"" But this
was not half Of what Sir Roderck MurchisOn
had to tell Of Robert Dick. When he became
better acquainted with this strange student.
and was admitted into the sanctum-which was
the oven-room-ho found there busts of Byron.
Of Sir Walter Scott. and other poets. He found.
too. tho plastered walls covered with Assyrian
or Egyptian figures. or with the weird-like
forms OF extinct animals all executed In firm
and correct outline; hundreds Of books too.
carefully and beautifully bound. which this man
had been able to purchase out OF the savings
OF his small bakery. Sir Roderck also found
that Robert Dick WAS a profound botanist lilo
declares that this baker knew MORE aye,
ten times more Of botanical science than
did his visitor. and that there we're
only some twenty or thirty British plants
that he had not collected, although. since the
age OF 20. he had never been out Of Caithncss-
shire. These specimens pursued Sir Rod
orck. were all arranged in the most almirn-
BILE order with their respective names and
habltats, and their collector is so excellent a
scientist that he might we'll have been pro-
Tossed ornament OF the Royal Botanical soci-
ETY." This notice of Robert Dick 10y a man Of
SO much eminonec was calculated to keenly n-
tercet Mr. Smiles. but for some years tho latter
was unable 10 follow UP his inquiries II is
only recently, from such letters OF Mr.. Dicks
as are preserved and from the "reminiscences
OF his few friends that the biographer has de-
rived material for an outline OF his life
Robert Dick was born at TullibodY. in Clacl,
mannanshre, Scotland In 1871. His father
was an officer of excise. who married second
wife when Robert was 10 years Old. and as a
consequence tho boy, instead OF being sent Ia
college, WIS apprenticed TO u baker at the a0o of
H. All the teaching ho ever had was received
prior 10 that period at the parish school whore
he learned reading. writing. arithmetic ard 4
little Latin. During the three years which fol-
lowed the advent of IA stranger in his fathers
house the boy acquired II singular power OF
self control but there is no doubt that this try
ing epoch threw dark shadow along the whole
Of his future life. He never forgot the circum-
stances under which he had left home. When
he aiterward heard OF a neighbor losing his
wife. he said All a sad thing for tho BARNS
Had my own mother boen alive. would never
have been u baker" But baker he WAS to be
and after serving an apprenticeship OF three
and half years In that calling and subso-
quenty working rs Il Iourneyman in Glasgow
and Greenock, he decided to settle in the north
and began business on his own account at the
age Of 90. ia tho small Highland bursh OF
Ihurso. I.'ru he lived, and here he died never
once passing. rs we havo said, the bounds OF
his adopted county.
Let us glance at the aspect Of tho country
amid which lay the work which this man found
to do. There II no such bleak. dismal, sterile
land In the United Kingdom ~ the fiat, treeless
face OF Caithnessshlre, In the extreme north
eastern corner of Great Britain. During the
equinoctial gales the wind sweeps across the