61 



his book ; and the Bodleian has agreed to cede to the RadclifTian 

 Library all those upon medico-physical subjects. The experience 

 which, as a naturalist and physician. Dr. WiUiams possesses, renders 

 his services far more valuable to the institution than the inefRcient 

 . labours of the learned pedants, to whom the office of librarian is 

 frequently committed. The books are arranged in ethnographical 



ord 



er. 



The country between Oxford and Henley, half-way back to Lon- 

 don, is so beautiful that we determined to perform this distance on 

 foot. Our expectations of a new Flora were not however realized : 

 except Ulex europa:us, and in some places a great number of Ferns, 

 we met with nothing more interesting than what usually occurs with 



r 



US. At Henley we took a stage-coach, and passing the villas of 

 Herschel and Banks, arrived in London. 



L 



To become properly acquainted with the botanists and state of 

 botany in London w^ould require half a year at least, and we had 

 only half a month in which to attain this object; and were obliged to 

 ceconomize every moment, as we had all the Hospitals also to visit. We 

 particularly desired to make the acquaintance of Mr. Don ; through 

 whose means we hoped to see the Linnaean Society, and the herbarium 

 of Lambert- We had been told so much of the politeness of this 

 learned man, that we hope he will ascribe the great degree of trouble 

 which w^e occasioned him, to the character for affabihty which he 

 every where possesses. The preference which the first botanists in 

 London have shown for Mr. Don, by entrusting their treasures to his 

 charge, is as honourable to themselves as to the object of their choice; 

 and the "'dehghtful science'^ is an equal gainer. 



Mr. Don is a man in the flower of his age, and, like all the Scotch- 

 men whom we had the pleasure of knowing, in London, a person of 

 remarkable frankness and candour. We are greatly obliged to him 



I 



for the reception which he was so kind as to give us ; he obtained for 

 us a view of the Linnoean Society's apartments, Soho-square : a 

 Cyathea from Nepaul stood on the stairs, as high as the house ; it 

 might have been used on its voyage to Europe for the mast of a 

 ship. The herbarium is in the hall ; very beautifully arranged, with 

 British elegance and solidity. The cases in which the animals, 

 chiefly birds, are preserved, are made of the wood of Flindersia au- 



