or in making extracts from them of portions which took his fancy, and which he would afterwards commit to memory. In summer, again, the evenings were usually devoted to short botanical excursions, in company with such of the other young men as were of a similar turn of mind to himself, but whether he had then any intention of becoming a botanical collector we have now no means of ascertaining. He had a small garden at home, where he deposited the living plants that he brought home. It may be stated that these excursions were never pursued on the Sabbath day, his father having strictly prohibited young Douglas from doing so, and this rule he at no time broke. The hours which might be called his own were spent in arranging his specimens and in reading with avidity all the works on Travels and Natural History to which he could obtain access. Having applied to an old friend for a loan of some books on these subjects, the gentleman (Mr. Scott), to David's surprise, placed a Bible in his hands, accompanied with the truly kind admonition, "There, David, I can not recommend a better or more important book for your perusal."
It has frequently occurred to us, when admiring the many beautiful productions with which the subject of this memoir has enriched our gardens that, but for his intercourse with two individuals, Messrs. R. and J. Brown, of the Perth nursery, these acquisitions, in all probability, would have been
"The flowers on desert Isles that perish,"
At this period of Douglas's life, these gentlemen were very intimate with Mr. Beattie, and their visits to Scone afforded opportunities to him to gain their acquaintance. Both were good British Botanists, and so fond of the study as annually to devote a part of the summer to botanizing in the Highlands; hence their excursions were often the subject of conversation, and it is believed that from hearing them recount their adventures and describe the romantic scenery of the places they had visited in search of plants, Douglas secretly formed the resolution of imitating their example.
