265
his attention from the hospital and the operating theatre to the museum and the field, and led him to the conviction that the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake was the only satisfactory sphere for his activity, and that in devotion to science lay the vocation of his life.
An exploration of Norway, and the publication of a fauna of his native shores, were among the first fruits of Edward Forbes's scientific training. These were succeeded by excursions into Algeria and Illyria, and by a stay of some months in Paris, where Provost was teaching geology, and Geoffroy and De Blainville zoology. In 1840, Forbes published the first work by which he will be remembered, 'The History of British Starfishes,' one of a series of monographs upon the natural history of this country which do honour to its zoologists. Although consisting of little more than a description of a score species of Echinoderms, this is, in many respects, an important and remarkable Essay; and it must be considered to be by no means its least merit, that, with an extent and thoroughness of knowledge rarely exceeded, it unites a spirit of playful and elegant humour, rare in itself, and still more rare in such combination. Repudiating that stilted and pretentious solemnity sometimes thought essential to the due preservation of the dignity of science, Edward Forbes here exemplifies the doctrine upon which his whole life was a commentary,— that a true philosopher must first, and before all things, be a genial and simple-minded man.
Mr. Forbes spent the succeeding two years as Naturalist in H.M.S. Beacon, then commanded by Capt. Graves, the chief of the surveying corps at that time employed in the Mediterranean. At this time Capt. Graves was more particularly occupied with the Ægean Sea, and for a short period he was engaged in affording assistance to Sir Charles Fellowes's expedition in Lycia, Availing himself of the opportunity thus afforded, Mr. Forbes, in company with Lieutenant (now Captain) Spratt and the Rev. Mr. Daniell, made many excursions inland. The terrible fevers of the Levant did not spare the travellers; and while one of his companions fell a victim to their virulence, Forbes's own life was at one time despaired of, and he always considered his constitution to have been permanently injured by the attack.
The results of these combined explorations, by which the forgotten 2 D 2
