When about eleven he accompanied his elder brother, Alexander, to Mr. Paton’s school at Falkirk.  This school was for writing and book-keeping, but such as chose to pay received lessons in astronomy and geography after school hours.  Alexander was one of these, and Robert was allowed to wait for his brother in the large room while the class was being conducted.  “I felt queer,” he tells us “to know what the master was doing within the circle, and used to look very attentively through any little slip of an opening under an elbow, while I eagerly listened to the illustrations given, the master all the while never suspecting that I was capable of understanding the planetary system.  What I could not understand my brother explained on our way home.”  In this manner he picked up some knowledge of astronomy.

At this school the lad continued for six months.  It was the last he ever attended.

When about fourteen, Robert Moffat was apprenticed to a gardener, named John Robertson, a just but hard man, who lived at Parkhill, Polmont.  The toil was severe and the food scanty.  Often in the bitter cold of a Scottish winter the lads employed were required to commence work at four o’clock in the morning, and had to hammer their knuckles against the handles of their spades to try and bring some feeling into them.  Here he remained till the end of 1812.

While thus engaged, he managed to attend an evening class occasionally, and made an attempt at learning Latin and mensuration.  He also picked up some knowledge of the smith’s craft, and acquired sufficient skill to play a little on the violin.  A special craving, which stood him in good stead in after life, impelled him to learn something of whatever he came in contact with.

Upon the completion of his apprenticeship, in 1812, he obtained a situation at Donibristle, a seat of the Earl of Moray at Aberdour.  Here, he delighted his fellow-workers of an evening by his violin performances, was fond of athletic sports, in which he excelled, and became an accomplished swimmer, saving the life of one of his companions, who having got out of his depth was in imminent danger of drowning.

In this situation he continued about a twelvemonth, and then, being about sixteen, he found employment as under-gardener to Mr. Leigh, of High Leigh, in Cheshire.  While at Donibristle he had been able to frequently visit his parents; the time had now come when he must bid them adieu.

The parting scene between Robert and his mother has been sketched by his own hand and appeared in the Bible Society’s “Gleanings for the Young.”  It is described as follows:—­

“When we came within sight of the spot where we were to part, perhaps never again to meet in this world, she said—­

“’Now, my Robert, let us stand here for a few minutes, for I wish to ask one favour of you before we part, and I know you will not refuse to do what your mother asks.’