The studies and associations of 1802 influenced him through life. A careful perusal of the sections* in "The Philosophy of Zoology," devoted to "Elementary Substances," and to "Compounds of Organization," or of the chapters in which he treats of "Organs of Perception," and "Faculties of the Mind," will shew the impressions which the pursuits of this period, and the professors under whom he studied, had made upon him. As many, likewise, as waited on his lectures when he became a teacher of natural science, will remember how much importance he attached to a knowledge of chemistry, as a basis for the successful study of mineralogy, and how skilful he was in its application, when dealing with chemical mineralogy, and when discussing the characteristics of organic masses, and of mineral species.†

Those who are rightly in the habit of tracing the partial alienation of Scottish thinkers from the field of metaphysical speculation, and their direction into that of physical research, to the influence of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, at the time to which we now refer, will not fail to notice the benefit which resulted to Christian thought, and generally to the interests of the church, that men like Chalmers, and Fleming, and Brewster were raised up to stand in the midst of those whose discoveries led to speculations of a peculiarly delicate and difficult kind. The revival of science in Scotland acted in two ways. On the one hand, it laid a grasp like that of a giant on the thoughtful youth of the period, and at one point and another suggested the possibility of the inauguration of scientific, as opposed to revealed, truth. On the other hand, it begot in the minds of many good, but not very well informed, churchmen, the notion, that science was antagonistic to Christianity, and should be discouraged as leading to scepticism. What was needed in order to check the tendency which had already set in, to separate the highest minds of the country from the church, was the presence in her membership of men of thorough

* Vol. I. pp. 54-80 and 164-307.

† See Institutes of Natural Science," for the outline of his lectures on Synthology and Mineralogy.

scientific attainments-men of whose true Christian principle she did not stand in doubt. These acted as links of sympathy between her and the students of nature. Thus suspicion of science was kept under, and the notion, that its successful prosecution implied the drifting away from a child-like acceptance of the doctrines of the cross of Christ, was effectually checked. This was the position which Chalmers assumed with such important results. It was this, too, which Fleming occupied with marked success; and it is not too much to aver that this has been the attitude of Brewster for nearly half a century.

*

Endowed with a taste for natural history, Mr Fleming's native district supplied opportunities specially favourable to its exercise and gratification. From early youth he studied Zoology, Botany, and Geology, after a fashion which always leads to success. Having acquired the general nomenclature of a science, he applied it in the field, in the identification of the objects around him. Thus we find him, when almost a boy, marking the geological features of the district, both from surface characteristics and from sections of strata made in mining or in quarrying operations. He carefully catalogued every native plant, and, with rod or gun, brought many of its rarer animals under examination. Taking the Kirkroads cottages as a centre, and limiting the view to the radius of a mile, at least three varieties of fossiliferous limestone occur, and, associated with them, phenomena of trap action peculiarly interesting. The botanical riches of the neighbourhood were pointed out by Mr Fleming himself in the "Outline of the Flora of Linlithgowshire," and several important additions can now be made to that list. The frequent references in the "British Animals," to localities in his native county, shew that it had supplied him with many specimens in his zoological studies. He had hoped to do for the place of his birth what White has done for Selborne, but was hindered. In the conclusion of the

* See Chalmers' Life, vol. i. p. 386: British Animals, p. xviii; and North British Review, vol. iv. p. 386.

† Read to the Wernerian Society, 1809.

MSS. Botany of Linlithgowshire, he writes, "During the time I resided in West Lothian I endeavoured to collect all the information regarding its natural history in my power. If I had resided longer within its bounds, I intended to have written a complete description of that county. Being now removed to a distance, all hope of accomplishing this is at an end. I shall, therefore, at a future period, communicate to the Society such observations on its zoology and mineralogy as appear calculated to elucidate, in any degree, the natural history of Scotland." The proceedings of "The Wernerian" shew that he fully kept his promise.

Having been licensed as a preacher in connection with the Church of Scotland, he was soon after ordained over the congregation at Bressay, in Shetland. The circumstances connected with his presentation to Bressay, are worthy of notice. So early as 1807, his accomplishments as a mineralogist had attracted the attention of Sir John Sinclair, well known from the enthusiastic interest he took in the progress of Scottish agriculture towards the close of the last, and at the beginning of the present, century. Sir John asked Mr Fleming to undertake a survey of the economical mineralogy of the northern isles. In the spring of 1808, Mr Fleming wrote to Sir John from his brother's farm, Capithall, near Bathgate, and asked introductions to the parish ministers and others. "I must," he said, "traverse the unfrequented glens, coasts, and islands, where I can receive no assistance from the inhabitants. I would esteem your private letters, together with others from my friends, as perfectly sufficient to procure me attention and hospitality." While engaged in this work, it fell to the Presbytery of Lerwick to present to the parish of Bressay, Lord Dundas, the patron, having failed to do so within the time allowed by law. Mr Fleming had so won the regards of the members of Presbytery, that they unanimously resolved to offer the living to him. He accepted the presentation only on condition that the people would call him after they had heard him preach. Meanwhile Lord Dundas had promised the living to another man, and now he asked Mr Fleming to resign in his

favour. This he refused to do, on the ground that it would be uncourteous both to the Presbytery and the people. The patron seemed to be won by the manly frankness and decision of the young minister. He became his firm friend, and was ever afterwards ready to promote his interests.

The fruit of the appointment by the Scottish Board of Agriculture, at the instance of Sir John Sinclair, was the very able report which Mr Fleming drew up, on "The Economical Mineralogy of the Orkney and Zetland Islands." When this report was published, the author was only in the twenty-third year of his age; yet there are evidences in it of great descriptive power, readiness in the application of the nomenclature of the science, correctness of eye, and such a quick appreciation of the economical value of the rocks described, as would not discredit the ablest mineralogist at the present time. The report is dated from the Manse of Bressay. He had thus taken the scientific tastes and studies of his youth with him into his island manse, and had laid them along side of his desires and labours for the spiritual good of the people over whom he had been set. Was this union right or even expedient? Had he, or has any minister, time for both sorts of work? Is it possible that they can meet in harmony in any one man? Fleming, like Chalmers, often found many ready to return a decided negative to such queries. It would be beside my purpose in this sketch to enter fully into this matter, but, as the report now referred to raises the question, it claims attention for a little. There is no need here of falling back on the smallness of his congregation as an excuse for devotion to scientific pursuits, because when his congregation was greatly larger, he was equally earnest in his favourite studies. Beyond doubt it is the duty of the New Testament minister to be equal to his day, and intelligently able to watch over phases of thought characteristic of his generation, in order to direct these for the glory of Him whom he is specially set to serve. And if God shall give him talents and opportunities to lead rather than to follow, in such circumstances his duty is equally clear. The ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι of the Apostle was never intended to limit the

minister's study to theology. It has a broader and nobler meaning. "Identify your life with them,"-bring, then, all your gifts, all your attainments into His service: you will not less earnestly seek the good of souls, in meeting much with the thoughts of the Creator in his works, because He who created all things is the Redeemer himself. "Grace," says Vinet finely, "has not made nature an outcast." Yea, rightly received, it teaches man that the Saviour and the Creator are one. Sympathy with this view will fit for tracing and exhibiting the thoughts of Christ in His works, not less than rejoicing in His affections revealed in His word. And the Christian student will find fully as many occasions in scientific pursuits, for the cry "domine da lucem," as he will do in exegetical studies. It is no doubt true, that much time must be spent in order to excellence in any one department of science, and especially in order to such a knowledge of several branches as Mr Fleming possessed, ―a knowledge by which the student can point out where branch meets branch, while the boundary line continues, and thus is able to enunciate those grand generalizations which become influential, not on the multitude only, but on great thinkers also. Few clergymen work as hard as fully employed lawyers, physicians, or merchants. There is among them a great deal of trifling at study,-a great deal of reading which takes up much time and bears little fruit,-not a little time spent in mere coterie talk. If any man be willing to eschew this, and to parcel out his day according to the claims of his position, he may manage a congregation of a thousand people, visit them once a year, attend assiduously to the sick and sorrowful, and yet find time for working in some branch of literature or science. But Scotland is so well supplied with churches that John Knox's average of a thousand people, for the care of one man, is very seldom possible except in large towns. If a man give, generally, his forenoons to theological study and preparation for Sabbath, his afternoons to visitation, and one evening, or even two, in the week to a meeting for congregational prayer, or for a Bible class, he would yet have, at the very least, four evenings, from six to eleven, for non-theological study. Who