The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-26

always given. II tho respect which the scien-
tlnc society OF his adopted town professed to
entertain for Robert Dick be not wholly n sham,
they will do something to put this admirable
collection In order.
Although Robert Dick devoted considerable
part Of his spare time to botany II WIS to geol-
ogy that he gave the largest share Of his atten-
ton. 1t was Mantell's " Wonders Of Geology"
that first attracted him to the subject then
Bucklands Bridgcwater Treatise" and after
that Hugh Micr's odd Rod Sand Stone"
Nevertheless geology WIS at first great mys-
terry to him, seeming. rs II really was. an OBJ
scure revelation of tho physical conditions OF
the long past world. Tho rocks near Thurso
spoke to him OF time when monsters Of the
prmeval seas and numberess strange species
no longer extant among tho lshy tribes had
ranged Mt will over the length and breadth Of
Cuithness. All these had. at some remote pc
Rod been swept to destruction by some cata-
clysm OF nature--ether by n sudden retirement
OF tho sen or sudden uplifting Of the land.
Platforms OF death rose one above another. tier
over tier tho floor Of each bearing its record
OF confusion aud abrupt catastrophe. Wide
areas OF sea wero depopulatod. but the
dead flsh remained stranded in the mud.
This mud and Ash became the petrilled btu
minous deposit known rs Caithness flag. whose
OF n largo people. THUS Thurso itself" said
Dick " Ia built Of dead fish," But In time that
age too. passed. away. and again the sea came
rolling over Caithnoss ponderOus glaciers now
went grating along the mountain sides OF its
spinal range grinding its rocks down into clay,
and strewinR the deep-aoa bottom with gigantic
boulders. Deving among this boulder clay
which forms so large part OF the surface Of
Caithnesshire Dick found the numerous marine
shells. which arc described in these pages Just
~ from tho masses OF flag he had drawn the
fossil bones, whose variety and novelty invested
his collection with exceptional value.
Ho had already discovered the petrined re-
mains OF tho so-callod Holoptychius. the
wrinkled and gigantic ganoid Of tho old rod
sandstone. before he became acquainted with
Hugh Miller. He forwarded the specimen to
tho latter at Edinburgh and the correspond
ence thus begun soon ripening into warm in
timacy. Dick continued to send to Miller "a long
as his friend lived the best of his findings among
the fossil fish OF Caithncss Indeed" says one
who knew them both " Dick was Hughs great
est benefactor. and gave him more solid assst-
anco than any other person." The humble
student Of Thurso seems to have been one OF tho
most unselnsh OF mon. and illustrated in his
life Sir Thomas Brownies fine aphorism that it
is tho nobest part OF charity to make every one
free to your stores OF knowledge. He had no
trace OF envy or jealousy or mean
rivalry. Though he hammered and chiselled
for fossils sometimes at tho risk OF his
life. he sent everything that wis valuable
to Hugh Miller. Yet when the latter's lifo was
written the name Of tho Thurso baker was not
80 much az mentioned. But 1t ts now known
that but for him and his scdulous and faithful
attachment to Miller in tho capacity OF lions
proydcr las was sometimes iocularly remarked
between themsevesl. tho " Footprints ofthe Gre
ator" might never have been composed. or at
least being written. the great eliminating points
in the argument would have been shorn OF their
force and power while the principal facts and
the greater portion OF the descriptive geological
groundwork Of tho volume would have boen
wanting.
Il is pleasant TO record that Hugh Miller him
self was always ready to acknowledge his obi
cations to Robert Dick. lie has robbed him
sell" the former said. to do mo service.
Dick. on the other hand. shrank with tho NJ
most sensitiveness from everything like pub
LEFTY Il am quiet creature" he wrote to
Miller. and do not like to see myself in print
at ALL" When Sir Roderick Murchison made
the eulogstic speech about him at Leods. ho
said. That speech has got me into great deal
Of trouble;" and when Mr.. Peach went to the
meeting OF the British Association at Aberdeen
Dick said to him. Pray do not mention me II
anybody asks about me, say that am WE'LL
want to be left alone" His unassuming mod
esty.' said Sir George Sinclair. WINS IA con-
spicuous IA the wonderful reach Of his knowl.
edge" In u word this patient truth seeker had
no idea Of making himself famous. On the
contrary ho blushed to learn that he had game
far out Of the ordinary track. and accomplished
something worthy OF being rehearsed in scion.
tinc books. Like Keats. he was willing that hi.
name should be writ In water.
Dick continued poor to the close II hislife II,
WAS content to be poor 30 long rs no was indie
pendent. Though no attended carefully {.
his business. he was not successful and he was
at length ruined 10y competition. Tho ship,
wrcck Of consignment Of -four whose tota
value scarcely exceeded two hundred dollars
exhausted his stntcd capital and reduced hin
nearly TO beggary. To meet the debt thus in
Cured. he was obliged TO sell tho collection o
fossils whose acquisition had been tho work o
years. and which. with his declining strength
! he would have no chance to duplicate. But h,
never told his Thurso acqunintances of hi,
| losses He WIS the last man to send round tn,
! hat. Like Burns. he was Owre blate TO sock
owre proud to snool" When his customers lef
! him he said 10 one Of his friends: well. the,
might not have done it, | have wrought lonl
! for them and have served them we'll but ii can
| not be helped now" This was Dicks noares
approach TO complaint or TO sclf-pity.
| Tho intellectual lnbors Of men like Dick ar
often spoken Of ns the pursuit Of knowlcdg
under difficulties. but Mr.. Smiles reminds u
! that thoy are also the pursuit of knowledge un
| dor pleasure. When W. venture 10 bestow Gu
! pity on such man. we overlook tho ravishmcn
which attends the discovery OF a now and fruit
! ful fact, and tho abrupt cnllshtment Of min,
thirstng for knowledge. We forget too the ele
waiting and purifying effects which dignity an,
| bless tho single minded quest of truth. Tn
intellectual pursuits Of this hard working an
much tried man lifted his whole nature an,
bore him up against the petty annoyances o.
the world. In the circumstances Of hardship
and isolation amid which his lot was casl
Robert Dick WAS in imminent danger Of los IN.
tho robustness and buoyHncy OF his spirit an,
tho Just balance OF his character. But though
a solitary man, the ardor and purity OF his de-
votion 10 science preserved his moral and men
tai health, and enabled him TO live to tho end "a
his days cheerful. happy. and human-heartc,
1t i7 plain that Robert Dicks life. like the anal
ogous history OF Thomas Edward tells its ow