THE PLURALITY OF WORLDS. AN ESSAY BY THE LATE REV. ROBERT KNIGHT VICAR OF POlesworth, WARWICKSHIRE; Second Edition. BIBLIOTHECA OUT 878 BODLEIANA PREFACE. "So much do the colour and the flavour of that wonderful mind-fruit called a book, depend upon the atmosphere in which it has ripened, and the soil whence its sweet or sour juices have been drawn, that these important influences cannot be overlooked." These are the words of one of the leading writers of the day, and in accordance with them a short sketch of the author's life is here presented, as the most interesting preface that could be prefixed to this Essay. Robert Knight was born at Portsoy in Banffshire, April 27th, 1811, and six weeks afterwards his parents embarked for Canada, taking this young traveller with them. After some time they returned to Scotland, and his mother, Ann Cuthbert Knight, published a poem upon "Home." The subject contrasts so strangely with the wandering character of the family, that the opening lines may here be quoted. "Say in the name what sweet enchantment dwells, Why, when afar, where'er the wanderer roves, Recalls one little spot he left behind, Its cherished scenes at distance seem more fair, At the time of the publication of his mother's poem, our author was still a child, and as to this period of his life, his early memories, jotted down by himself, are the only accessible sources of information. To use his own words, "I have recollections of a small ship given to me by a boy, and of a house with pillars before it. I also remembered my two uncles John and Alexander, and used to designate them from this reminiscence, big John and little Alexander. I also remembered the dog-kennels, and a drawer with some toys in it." The big John here mentioned was Dr. John Rae, his mother's brother, who graduated as M.D. in Scotland, but was so versed in general literature, that he shelved his doctor's diploma, and spent his life in teaching and study, partly in Canada and partly in the Sandwich Islands. In Boston was published a work of his on "Political Economy," which was afterwards used and acknowledged by John Stuart Mill. After this digression about the uncle, we must return to the nephew. Mr. and Mrs. Knight soon went back to Canada, leaving a baby daughter in Scotland, and taking their little son with them. To quote from his own words again, "I remember several things that occurred on the voyage, a large wave coming right over me and a woman who held me in her arms, as we were sitting on deck, and seeing fish caught on the Banks; the lines were furnished with balls, and I remember seeing the fish gasping on the deck." His second introduction to Canada was to be a sad one. The first recollection that I have of Canadian life, is of my father sitting sick in a chair by the fire, and of the bible dropping from his hand into the fire, and my picking it up and returning it to him;-the next is of his death and of my mother sitting weeping at his head. We were then living in St. James' Street, in a house which was subsequently the Post Office at Montreal." Soon after this he was sent to the Royal Grammar School, Montreal; the head-master of which, Dr. Alexander Skakel, became his guardian, and so befriended him that he always retained in after life a grateful feeling towards this benevolent man. Applying to his books with diligence, he became, while still a boy, assistant in a school conducted by Mr. Braithwaite at Chambly, continuing to study and make further progress in various branches of learning. In his childhood his health had not been very good, but being sent to stay with his uncle, Dr. Rae, in the Scotch settlement of Glengarry, he there mixed freely with the young Highlanders in their games, laying in a stock of health, and acquiring a taste for athletic sports which was never afterwards lost. Thus brought up as a young colonist, he had a considerable amount of knowledge, a strong frame, an adventurous disposition, ambition, vitality, and a long cherished determination to become a minister of the Gospel. Coming in contact with people belonging to the church of England, he was observed to be a man worth having; they took him in hand, and he became a worker under the old Bishop Mountain. Being too young to be ordained, the young missionary was sent as a pioneer teacher and |